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- Feb 18, 2013
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The long awaited construction of the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Road in Kenya is set to begin in two months’ time according to the Transport, Infrastructure Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary (CS), James Macharia.
Speaking in Nakuru Town East Constituency during celebrations to mark the World Habitat Day, the CS said that the close to US $1.55bn tender for the construction of the 187km road has already been awarded to a French firm.
The bidding process
The planned commencement of the Nairobi-Mau Summit dual carriageway comes months after four firms contested a decision by the Kenya National Highways Authority to award the tender to the Rift Valley Connect consortium.
The petition was however thrown out after the four firms failed to prove their allegations that KeNHA had engaged in a non-transparent bidding process that interfered with fair competition.
Also Read: US $230m approved for expansion of Great North Road in Kenya
About the project
The project, as per the contract, entails expansion of 175Km road from Rironi to Mau Summit into a four-lane dual carriageway and re-carpeting of Rironi – Mai Mahiu – Naivasha Road (Escarpment Road).
The project will be undertaken on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis, in which the private sector will raise finances for the road project, design, construct, maintain and operate the road on pre-agreed standards and specifications. The concession for the road is within a time frame of 30 years.
Expectations for the project
Upon completion, the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Road which is part of the Northern Corridor and among the most important roads in the region used for transporting most of the westbound cargo from the Port of Mombasa and Nairobi, is expected to significantly reduce the travel time between Nairobi and Mau Summit and the traffic snarl-up experienced on the road.
Earlier, KeNHA Regional Manager – Central Rift, Eng. Ezekiel Fukwo had stated that the project is expected to take approximately three years to complete.
Speaking in Nakuru Town East Constituency during celebrations to mark the World Habitat Day, the CS said that the close to US $1.55bn tender for the construction of the 187km road has already been awarded to a French firm.
The bidding process
The planned commencement of the Nairobi-Mau Summit dual carriageway comes months after four firms contested a decision by the Kenya National Highways Authority to award the tender to the Rift Valley Connect consortium.
The petition was however thrown out after the four firms failed to prove their allegations that KeNHA had engaged in a non-transparent bidding process that interfered with fair competition.
Also Read: US $230m approved for expansion of Great North Road in Kenya
About the project
The project, as per the contract, entails expansion of 175Km road from Rironi to Mau Summit into a four-lane dual carriageway and re-carpeting of Rironi – Mai Mahiu – Naivasha Road (Escarpment Road).
The project will be undertaken on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis, in which the private sector will raise finances for the road project, design, construct, maintain and operate the road on pre-agreed standards and specifications. The concession for the road is within a time frame of 30 years.
Expectations for the project
Upon completion, the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Road which is part of the Northern Corridor and among the most important roads in the region used for transporting most of the westbound cargo from the Port of Mombasa and Nairobi, is expected to significantly reduce the travel time between Nairobi and Mau Summit and the traffic snarl-up experienced on the road.
Earlier, KeNHA Regional Manager – Central Rift, Eng. Ezekiel Fukwo had stated that the project is expected to take approximately three years to complete.
