Kenya Strengthens its Transport Backbone

Having the largest economy in the East and Central Africa region, Kenya enjoys a critical strategic location, being home to the region’s largest and busiest seaport – the port of Mombasa.

Predominantly its road network, which comprises strategic trading corridors, links the port to economic hinterlands to mobilize consumer goods to its people and neighboring landlocked countries, making it its economy’s lifeline.

As a result, Kenya’s road network contributes to 60% of the country’s transport sector, of which 50% comes from freight traffic (Kenyan Economic Survey, 2020).

Owing to such importance, the Kenyan Government’s Vision 2030 has a crucial focus on road rehabilitation, e.g., the R2000 program, which involves building a high-level stretch of over 4,000 km of road in the country at an estimated cost of $2.7 billion.

The route officially starts at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) – where also the logistics service provider DB Schenker ist located with its office – taking toll-paying vehicles towards Nakuru and Kisumu in the country’s west to reduce the current journey time of two hours to an estimated duration of just 30 minutes!

Such a development will mean faster goods handling and delivery times for our customers across the city.

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The China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) will invest USD 500 million to build this elevated passage projected to be completed before the 2023 elections in Kenya.

Recovery of the cost of this road will be from the toll charged for a one-way journey of $4 per vehicle, and prices will vary for heavy goods vehicles. All of this comes after the completion of the Mombasa to Naivasha Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) two years ago.

It now carries 90% of all container traffic from the Mombasa Port to the Inland depot, located 15 km from the center of Nairobi and near the JKIA Airport.

The delays caused while building the overpass have almost doubled the traveling time for most passengers through the city. Moreover, bearing in mind the shorter working days imposed by the Government during the COVID-19 pandemic simply adds to the day-to-day supply chain challenges.

However, there is good news at the end of all! After President Uhuru Kenyatta officiates at the opening of the new road ceremony just before the 2022 elections, everyone will be able to enjoy an ultra-modern road system through the Heart of Nairobi.

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