The 40.4-kilometre Mtwapa - Kwa Kadzengo - Kilifi Road whose construction was launched by President William Ruto last November 19, is slowly taking shape.
Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) on Tuesday said already the contractor has finished constructing about seven kilometres around the Vipingo area.
KeNHA Engineer Ezekiel Fukwo, the Director of Highways, Designs, Safety and Environment, said the actual construction work of the road is now at 10 per cent.
“We now have seven kilometres that are already being used and the contractors have really mobilized and they are doing very well. We anticipate that as we move along, we shall see more work and we hope the project will be finished within no time,” said Fukwo.
The Mtwapa - Kwa Kadzengo - Kilifi road is part of a transnational 454-kilometre road linking Malindi town in Kenya to Bagamoyo in neighbouring Tanzania.
The Malindi - Lunga Lunga/Horohoro – Tanga - Bagamoyo East African coastal road corridor is being financed by African Development Bank (AfDB) in partnership with the EU-African Infrastructure Trust Fund Grant, and the Kenyan government at an estimated cost of Sh7.5 billion (USD 61.4 million).
Last November, President William Ruto said the infrastructure developments within Kenya were critical, particularly that will help boost connectivity, trade, and tourism within the East African Community.
"This is an important road linking Kenya and Tanzania. It will boost trade and economies between the two countries,” he said.
The Mtwapa - Kwa Kadzengo – Kilifi Road will consist of 7.4 kilometres of dual road and another 33 kilometres of an expanded single lane.
The project is scheduled to be completed in December 2024.
According to the road design, at least 5,000 trees would be cut down to give room for the construction of the road.
On Tuesday, KeNHA began replanting trees along the seven-kilometre stretch of the road which has already been completed.
KeNHA partnered with various stakeholders; Mombasa Cement, Rea Vipingo, Superior Homes, Kenya Forest Services, National Environment Management Authority (Nema) and Kilifi County Government to plant the trees along that road.
“KeNHA will plant 20,000 trees along the Mtwapa – Kwa Kadzengo – Kilifi Road. From here we will be able to move, since KeNHA has a lot of land in terms of road reserves, we shall green all of them,” said Fukwo.
Fukwo said KeNHA is committed to environmental stewardship and they are also heeding President Ruto’s directive for Kenya to plant 15 billion trees within the next 10 years.
Kenha has also contributed Sh20 million to KFS Nairobi Arboretum for 1 million seedlings that will be planted across road reserves countrywide.