Construction works of the much-awaited Sh3 billion Kinango-Kwale road has commenced and is set for completion in 36 months.
The 29-km road that links Kinango Sub-County to the Kwale County Headquarters is being undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.
According to the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) Coast Regional Director, Eng Eric Wambua, the road is among other infrastructural projects funded by the National Government and the contractor is on the ground mobilising resources and machinery.
Eng Wambua said the expansion of road network in Kwale and other coastal counties would greatly boost economic activities in the region and spur development.
The KeNHA official said this while presenting a report on the status of road projects in the area during the Regional Development Implementation Coordination Committee Meeting Chaired by Coast Regional Commissioner, John Elungata, at Kenya School of Government Auditorium.
The construction works of the Kinango-Kwale road comes after the completion of the 50 km stretch of the Kinango-Samburu Road at a cost of Sh2 billion.
The new road will connect Kwale County with the busy Mombasa-Nairobi highway at Samburu and the Likoni-Lunga Lunga road at Kombani, once completed.
Eng Wambua noted that the project will bring transformation in the county besides opening up the hinterland and speeding up rural development.
He said KeNHA is alive to the economic impact of tarmac roads in the region and added that other road projects completed in the area include the tarmacking of Lunga-Lunga-Vanga, Milalani-Shimba Hills and Kanana-Shimoni roads.
Eng Wambua said the tarmacking of the roads will be a huge economic incentive to Kwale County and will in the long run greatly boost economic activities at the urban centers.
Elungata said the government has invested hugely on construction of the new roads and upgrading of the existing ones to improve road connectivity as well as improve socio-economic activities in the coastal region.
He added that improvement of road network is expected to have positive economic impact on the entire region and the country at large.
“Massive investment by the National Government on the improvement of urban road network would significantly boost investment and the tourism sector in the region,” said the Regional Commissioner.
He said the National Government is determined to complete all the projects it has initiated for growth and prosperity.
Meanwhile, the construction of the new Sh40 billion Kipevu Oil Terminal (KOT) at the Port of Mombasa is almost complete and set for dry run operation next month.
Addressing the RDICC meeting, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) General Manager for Infrastructure Development Eng Vincent Sidai said the contractor China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), is undertaking final touches on the project.
The terminal will have a four-vessel capacity with each vessel being able to hold up to 100,000 dead weight tonnage (DTW).
The KOT which will supplement the two other small terminals will also have a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) line which is expected to help stabilize the country’s supply of gas.
By Mohamed Hassan
