Regional Roads in Kenya – The Northern Corridor Transport Improvement Programme’s objective is to enhance domestic and regional trade through improvement in the transport system in the Northern corridor which connects Mombasa with Nairobi, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo. The project is being implemented with support from the World Bank, the Nordic Development Fund and the Government.

When completed, 368km of the Mombasa-Nairobi-Malaba road will have been rehabilitated by 2015. Some of the projects include the Sultan Hamud-Machakos turnoff; Machakos Turnoff-Athi River-Embakasi; JKIA-Uhuru Highway-Gigiri; Mai Mahiu-Naivasha-Lanet; Lanet-Nakuru-Njoro turnoff and Njoro Turnoff-Mau Summit-Timboroa.

The East African Road Network Project is critical to trade and investments in the region. The partner states have identified five corridors. The projects also constitute priority investments under the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) initiative. More than 3,000km of regional roads in Kenya will be improved.

They include: Nairobi-Ruiru-Thika; Isiolo-Merille River; Athi river-Namanga and Emali-Oloitoktok. A contract for the 136km Athi River-Namanga road was awarded in September 2007 at a cost of Sh6.2 billion ($77.5 million). Rehabilitation will help to accommodate the increasing trade volumes between Kenya and Tanzania and promote tourism by linking Kenya’s Masai Mara and Tanzania’s Serengeti National park

A Sh4.8 billion ($60 million) contract for upgrading the 136km Isiolo-Merille River road was award in September 2007. Upgrading it to bitumen standard will promote trade between Kenya and Ethiopia and develop the northern parts of the country

Once complete, the tarmacking of the Sh748 million ($9.35 million) 20km Garissa-Nuno road will complement Government efforts to develop transport links in the northern region. A Sh4.2 billion ($52.5 million) contract for the construction of the 100km Emali-Oloitoktok road was awarded in August 2007. It increase trade between Kenya and Tanzania and promote tourism. The East African Road Network Project is critical to trade, investment and integration in the region. Partner states, with the support of development partners, have given priority to road projects to hasten integration.