State rushes to complete Coast road projects before May 2022

The government is prioritising multibillion-shilling road modernisation projects in the Coast region, including the ambitious dualling of the 300km Malindi-Mombasa-Lunga Lunga highway, several bypasses and a second Nyali bridge.

With Mombasa a shipping and tourism hub, the building of new roads and upgrading of existing ones would help reduce travel time and improve connectivity socio-economic activities in the counties of Mombasa, Taita Taveta, Kwale and Kilifi.

Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia told Nation.Africa the government was taking a multipronged approach with these projects as part of implementing the region’s infrastructure master plan and reducing congestion.

Phase two of the Sh24 billion Dongo Kundu Bypass is expected to be complete by May 2022.

Speaking in Wundanyi, Taita Taveta, when he launched the building of the Sh2.2 billion Mto Mwagodi-Msau-Mbale-Werugha-Mgange-Bura road, CS Macharia said the government has built over 11,000km of roads across the country since 2013.

He said the government is committed to ensuring that all roads are completed by next year.

"We want every part of this county to benefit from development. The government wants to ensure that residents benefit from government projects," he said.

The Mto Mwagodi-Bura road, he said, will open up the country for development by boosting agricultural activities and improving the economy of the region.

"Considering that this area is an agricultural zone, farmers will benefit greatly," he said.

The 54km road will be built in the next three years. He directed the contractor, Stecol Corporation, to hire locals and complete the work within the agreed-upon timelines.

"The company is one of the biggest contractors we have in this country and in China. They are capable of handling this construction because it is the biggest road project we have ever done," he added.

The road will connect Mwatate and Wundanyi constituencies.

The government had neglected the road for years, leaving residents at the mercy of public service vehicles that charged them high fares for transport.

The project has also divided local leaders.

Governor Granton Samboja, Senator Jones Mwaruma and Wundanyi MP Danson Mwashako claim that they have been pushing for the multimillion-shilling project.

Mr Samboja and Senator Mwaruma skipped the Monday event.

But CS Macharia recognised Mr Mwashako's efforts to push the government to fast-track the project.

Local leaders, led by MPs Mr Mwashako, Jones Mlolwa (Voi) and Andrew Mwadime (Mwatate), said the road will improve the livelihoods of residents.

Mr Mwashako said residents have suffered for years due to poor roads, which are often impassable during rainy seasons.

MP Mwashako said the road will be the first to be tarmacked in his constituency.

"There are those who want to take credit for this project, yet they don't know how we got to this point. I urge my people not to listen to those people because they are lying to you," he said.

He urged the government to consider paving the dilapidated road that leads to Wesu Sub-County Hospital from Wundanyi.

"I also urge the contractor to ensure that they first give our people job opportunities. We have qualified drivers and companies that can do sub-contracting works," he said.

At the same time, Mr Mlolwa asked for the road to be extended to also cover Voi constituency.

"This road was meant to connect all the constituencies in the county. We will be grateful if the ministry will consider doing variations according to what we had proposed," he said.

For his part, Mr Mwadime asked for the Voi-Taveta railway line to be revived and be connected to the Nairobi-Mombasa Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

He also called on the ministry to complete the construction of the Sh300 million Ikanga airstrip that has stalled for over five years.

"The Jubilee government had implemented several road projects in the county, and we are grateful. We are, however, asking the government to complete the pending projects before the next election," he said.

Ms Dorcas Mlughu, a resident, said the project is timely as it will open the area for economic development.

She said farmers have suffered when transporting their produce to markets.

During rainy seasons, milk and vegetable farmers incur huge losses to access markets due to the poor state of the road.

"Farmers will no longer pour down their milk as we used to see before. We will be able to access health facilities with ease, and we will also see more development because this area will open up for investment," she said.

Mr Macharia said the Mwache Bridge stretch that connects Mombasa and Kwale counties is 60 per cent complete and will improve connectivity and ease congestion.

"Phase two is expected to provide a solution to the notorious congestion at the Likoni ferry (crossing), which is blamed for the slow economic activities and growth of the South Coast region," Mr Macharia said when he toured the facility in Kwale.

He added that the ongoing infrastructural projects worth billions of shillings that straddle Kwale and Mombasa seek to facilitate easier movement of goods, services and people and boost the economy of the region.

With President Uhuru Kenyatta expected to officially open the project in May 2022, Mr Macharia has also challenged locals to invest, saying the Dongo Kundu Bypass will transform the lives of residents on the 17.7km stretch.

“The construction over the ocean has been hectic but the progress is going on well with the casting of coping beams and columns, and steel pipe piles at the Mteza and Mwache bridges,” he said.

“The Mwache bridge will reduce travel distance by 40km and congestion within Mombasa city."

The 457-metre Makupa bridge now under construction is expected to be completed in the next five months.

"This is one of the major projects that will have a huge impact on tourism and road transport. It will be a seamless alternative for people who don't want to use the Likoni ferry. Locals need to take up the opportunities that come with this project," he said.

The region, he said, had received Sh3 trillion worth of infrastructural projects.

"The floating bridge, the Mwache bridge, the Dongo Kundu Bypass, the Samburu-Kinango-Kwale road - all these are gifts from the Jubilee government to the Coast residents,” he said.

“The dualling of the Nyali bridge road to Kadzengo in Kilifi County is also in the offing."