The government of Kenya is set to embark on the construction of the Rironi-Mau Summit Highway, years after the cancellation of the contract for its construction in April, following initiated talks for funding from the Chinese government.
According to information from the meeting between the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) led by Li Xi and the government, talks are currently in high gear to see how the government could secure the funding for the project.
The highway construction is set to be a key project for the Kenya Kwanza government as it races to deliver on its manifesto. Additionally, the road project will help link Nairobi to the western region.
The Rironi-Mau Summit road project has been a subject of controversy following the decision of President William Ruto to cancel a construction tender that was awarded to a French consortium by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
A stretch of the Mai Mahiu – Rironi Road showing traffic snarl-up on Thursday, May 11, 2023.
Photo
KeNHA
The French company had been awarded the tender to construct the 233km dual carriage for the project for US$1.4 billion (about Ksh180.6 billion).
Ruto cancelled the tender awarded to the French firm in April, over what he referred to as a very costly tender amount. However, it was not immediately clear if the Chinese government would commit additional funds on the initial Ksh108 billion awarded to the French consortium for the project.
The details about the possible funding discussions emerged just a few days after the Ministry of Transport revealed that it was engaging China on similar engagements for the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway(SGR) extension.
According to the Principal Secretary (PS) for Transport Mohammed Daghar, the project will see the extension of the rail system from Naivasha to Malaba.
“We are in top gear to ensure we extend the line all the way to Kisumu, a distance of 362 kilometres, through phase 2B, and then onwards to Malaba, a distance of 106 kilometres,” Daghar stated.
The SGR extension is set to link Naivasha where, the first phase of the initial project ended, to the border town of Malaba.
China’s Exim Bank funded the 590km first phase of the railway, built by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and its parent firm China Communications Construction Company, for more than US$5 billion (Ksh645 billion).
The highway and SGR projects featured in talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping when Ruto visited Beijing during the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September.
“Swift project implementation will create jobs, especially for our youth and women,” Ruto stated following the talks with Li Xi on Monday, November 4, on the project.
President William Ruto(smiling on right) when he met China Communist Party officials led by Li Xi(directly opposite) at State House in Nairobi on November 5, 2024.
PCS
