Kibaki launches major Nairobi by-pass

President Kibaki Friday launched the construction of the Nairobi Southern by-pass in ongoing efforts to reduce traffic congestion in the city.

The 30-kilometre road estimated to cost Sh17 billion is set to become the third bypass to be built in Nairobi as way of diverting vehicles from the city centre. Others are the Northern and Eastern bypasses, which are already completed.

“When this road is completed, vehicles destined to western parts of Kenya or coast region will have an alternative route away from the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD),” said President Kibaki during the launch.

Chinese construction firm China Road and Bridge will be charged with the work expected to run for the next three years. China is the major financier, contributing Sh14.5 billion or 85 per cent of the total cost through Exim Bank.

Kenya’s contribution of Sh3.7 billion will come in the form of purchasing land to pave way for the road as well as compensating those genuinely displaced by its construction. Among the beneficiaries are the Kenya Wildlife Service, which manages the Nairobi National Park on whose edge the road will pass.

There had been contention from a number of civil society groups who demanded that the road change course to avoid interfering with the ecology of the park.

However, Roads minister Franklin Bett said the road will not interfere with life in the park.

“I want to indicate clearly that we are not getting into the park. We are passing by the edge. At the moment, we are having discussions with the Kenya Wildlife and the City Council of Nairobi over the same,” he said.

The dual carriageway will branch off from Mombasa road at Airtel Headquarters pass on the edge of the Nairobi National park, Langata’s Southern Estate, Ngong Road, Dagoretti, Gitara and Thogoto in Kiambu County where it will then join the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway.

All through this route, there will be no roundabouts; phenomena on our roads largely blamed for the incessant traffic jams. But there will be at least 6 interchanges. This will be sections where vehicles can change direction or lanes without necessarily stopping on-coming traffic as is common with roundabouts.

The design also caters for other road users with a provision for at least 5 foot bridges of a regular distance from one another as well as street lights for pedestrians and bikers users at night. The road will run in a width of about 60 metres although the actual area of tarmac could be narrower.

Mr Bett said the road will be purely for use by vehicles travelling beyond Nairobi.

He said all link roads branching off the road will be closed so that “there is no impediment to the flow of traffic.”

At the same function, Prime Minister Raila Odinga called on all grabbers of road reserves to vacate to avoid slowing down the pace of construction.