As part of efforts toward the advancement of trade relations in the eastern regions, the Republic of Kenya has decided to construct a high-speed expressway to ease the transportation stress of traveling to and fro trade sites within East Africa.
According to the Director General of Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA), Mr. Peter Mundinia, the express road is a 473km path connecting Nairobi and the country’s main seaport of Mombasa and will be completed in ten sections in the next six years.
“It will serve as a central part of Kenya’s national transport system, helping to promote trade and development in Kenya and further into Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” he said.
The expressway will be constructed in a way that will speed up the journey of travellers with a speed of 120 km/h, whereby instead of spending ten hours from Nairobi to Mombasa, four hours will be used.
Also, the road will have four lanes with an arrangement of extra six lanes and 19 interchanges for future increase.
Meanwhile, the director general claimed that the expressway will encourage the expansion of internal and regional trade in Kenya.
“More than 90 per cent of goods landing at the Mombasa Port are currently transported by road and this infrastructure project will lay the foundation for long-term commercial and industrial growth,” he said.
