Tanzanian official impressed with cheap road construction technology
Probase Manufacturing managing director Seow Cheng Soon leads of a delegation of officers from Tanzania's Roads Ministry on a tour of the Kianjai-Miathene road in Meru County. The road was constructed using the low-cost and durable probase technology. PHOTO | KENNEDY KIMANTHI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Last year, the Probase company announced that it would set up a factory in the country to manufacture chemicals such as soil stabiliser and strengthener, soil hardener, soil sealant, asphalt and binder which are used in roads construction.
- The county government was to build an additional 150 kilometres of roads under the project, which is facing opposition from Senator Kiraitu Murungi and some MCAs, who said the cost of construction had been inflated.
A delegation from Tanzania has said it will recommend the adoption of a low-cost and more durable road tarmacking technology used in Meru County.
Musa Omar Mataka, the head of laboratory and research in Tanzania’s roads ministry, said he was impressed with the Probase Standard Technology from Malaysia that he said is cheaper technology.
He spoke after visiting the 10km Kianjai-Miathene road built by the Meru County government on a pilot basis. Meru was the first county to build roads using Probase but other counties, including Embu and Samburu, have since embraced it.
“The Probase company director-general invited us to Meru and we are happy with what we have seen. We are now seeking to use it in Tanzania,” Mr Mataka said.
The technology, launched in 1998, is currently being used in 13 countries in the world, including Uganda.
Unlike normal road construction where two layers of road are paved, the new technology uses surface dressing, with only one layer being compressed until no water can penetrate.
Meru roads executive Newton Itobi said infrastructure was a challenge before the road was tarmacked.
“The economy of the area has generally improved and the value of land has also risen. Our youths have also been employed and this is the kind of outcome we want replicated in the whole of Meru County,” he said.
Last year, the Probase company announced that it would set up a factory in the country to manufacture chemicals such as soil stabiliser and strengthener, soil hardener, soil sealant, asphalt and binder that are used in road construction.
The county government was to build an additional 150 kilometres of roads under the project, which is facing opposition from Senator Kiraitu Murungi and some MCAs, who said the cost of construction had been inflated.
In February this year, the national government warned against using alternative low-cost technology.
Transport and Infrastructure Principal Secretary Engineer Mosonik said his ministry would not hesitate to penalize any county government official who fails to heed his directive that no road should be constructed without the ministry’s involvement.
Ironically, the road won the admiration of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who toured the county in February 2015.
