Construction of new Sh4.5bn Kitale-Suam road starts October
From left (seated) Kenha director general Peter Mundinia, China State Construction Engineering Corporation Eastern African Region general manager Zhang Ruiping and Kenha chairman Erastus Mwongera during the signing of an agreement for the upgrade of the Kitale-Endebes-Suam road in Nairobi. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NMG
China State Construction Engineering Corporation will build the 45 kilometre road that will replace the untarmacked route—which has hit trade between Kenya and Uganda.
The 45 kilometre of the road on the Kenyan side is in a poor state which renders it impassible during rainy seasons.
Construction of a new Sh4.5 billion road linking Kitale to Uganda border town of Suam will start in October, easing the movement of goods.
China State Construction Engineering Corporation will build the 45 kilometre road that will replace the untarmacked route—which has hit trade between Kenya and Uganda.
The route is an important cross-border transport corridor, taking fuel, fertiliser and maize seeds from Kenya to Uganda, which in turn serves its neighbour with bananas, sugar and electricity in addition to accommodation offered in rental apartments.
The 45 kilometre of the road on the Kenyan side is in a poor state which renders it impassible during rainy seasons.
The 73 kilometre project on the Ugandan side starts from Kipchorwa town ending at Suswa Bridge, which forms the boundary of Kenya in Rukwo sub-county.
“The project starts at Kitele town at the junction of the Kisumu-Kakamega-Kigali-Lodwar-Nadapul road and runs northwards through the trading centre of Endebes and ends at Suam, the national boundary with Uganda. a distance of approximately 45 kilometres.
“This road will greatly boost cross border trade between Kenya and other East African community member countries,” said Peter Mundinia, director-general, Kenha.
Mr Mundinia, who was speaking in Nairobi, said the configuration of the upgraded road will also include construction of new river bridges with reinforced concrete and footbridges in Kitale town. It will also entail construction of a dual carriage way through Kitale town up to Matisi shopping centre and construction of access roads and provision of roadside amenities, including market stalls, street lighting and drainage works.
This is not the first time the government is opening the northern corridor to facilitate business among traders in these regions.
In March, the government and the World Bank signed a Sh3.2 billion deal for the upgrade of a stretch running from Loichangamatak to Lodwar, Nadapal, and Nakodok which was impassible.
This is an important link along the Biharambo–Mwanza- Musoma-Sirari-Isebania-Kitale–Lodwar –Lokichogio-Nakodok-Juba Transport Corridor of the East African Community’s regional trunk road network.
Kenya’s main transport artery has traditionally been the Northern Corridor, running from Mombasa through Nairobi to the border with Uganda at Malaba.
PAYE Tax Calculator
Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
