Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i has made a day-long tour of Mombasa to inspect development projects.
The tour took him to the Sh. 28 billion Dongo Kundu project, the Sh.1.9 billion Likoni floating footbridge and the rehabilitation of the Sh.318 million Liwatoni fishing complex.
The Dongo Kundu Bypass Highway also called ‘Mombasa Southern Bypass Highway’ is a road under construction and when completed, it will connect Mombasa and Kwale counties without passing through Mombasa Island.
The project will also see a free movement of marine vessels that need to access Likoni Harbour as well as enhance traffic to the south coast and also boost trade between Kenya and Tanzania.
The CS said the Likoni floating footbridge which connects Mombasa Island and mainland south is operational and that 20,000 pedestrians use the 800-meter long bridge daily.
The pedestrian bridge constructed by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) is expected to significantly reduce perennial human congestion at the busy Likoni crossing channel.
The floating bridge has a composite structure designed for pedestrians only. The bridge deck comprise a 529 m long floating section, and 54 m long approaches on either side of the floating span.
It has a discrete continuous structural system with 35 No. double body supported boats, and 2 No. end boats with twin springboards installed to form the floating bridge deck.
Matiang’i who has briefed the press at the Liwatoni fishing complex expressed satisfaction at works being done and appealed to the contractors to complete projects on schedule.
The CS who chairs the National Development Implementation Technical Committee (NDITC) which monitors the implementation of government projects across the country was accompanied by Principal Secretaries (PSs) Major General (Rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa (State Department for Public Works), Dr. Julius Muia (National Treasury) and Coast Regional Commissioner John Elungata.
He said on Wednesday that his tour is part of the recent presidential directive that CSs and PSs to embark on field visits and monitor the implementation of various government projects across the 47 counties.
Matiang’i also announced that a team of CSs and PSs will next week tour parts of the coastal region to inspect development projects which are ‘key to socio-economic development.’
“The field visits by the senior government officials is to ensure that contractors working on various infrastructure projects across the country expedite the works and deliver on schedule,” he said.
He declared 2021 as the year the national government is determined to complete all the projects it has initiated for growth and prosperity.
The CS said that several development projects are taking place across the country pointing out that at least “824 road infrastructure projects are currently ongoing.”
by Mohamed Hassan
