SGR to boost cargo transportation at Mombasa port - CS Macharia

On January 11, Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia was in Mombasa to receive the first batch of locomotives for the standard gauge railway.

The railway is one of Jubilee’s flagship projects. The CS spoke to Nation writer MATHIAS RINGA in Mombasa on some of the government’s projects at the Coast.

What is the progress of the Sh372 billion standard gauge railway (SGR)?

I am glad to announce that the civil works on the 472km railway line from Mombasa to Nairobi was completed in November last year.

We have already received the first six locomotives from China. In total, the government will receive 56 of them. The President will commission the railway on June 1.

What will be the impact of this project on Mombasa port and in particular evacuation of cargo? Also, comment on how the railway will be operated.

The railway will boost transportation of cargo from the port of Mombasa to Nairobi and decongest the port.

Following the commissioning of the first phase of the second container terminal last year, container handling capacity at the port increased from 1.1 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) to 1.65 million TEUs.

Transportation of cargo from Mombasa to Nairobi will take between six and eight hours compared to 20 hours by road while passengers will take four hours to get to Nairobi. The railway will also reduce transport costs.

Regarding operations, the government has already identified John Holland Ltd based in Australia to operate the railway services.

To sustain the services, 2,000 local youth will be trained in operation and maintenance of the infrastructure and equipment.

We have 25 students who will undergo a five-year undergraduate course at Beijing Jiatong University in China while another 75 will join the course between this year and 2018.

Could you please explain the progress of the multi-billion shilling Lamu Port- South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) corridor?

Lapsset is Eastern Africa’s largest and most ambitious infrastructure project bringing together Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan and its impact will be felt as it is expected to contribute up to two per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

The mega project consists of key infrastructural projects starting with a new 32-berth port in Lamu, inter-regional highways from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Juba (South Sudan) and Isiolo to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

It also involves construction of a road from Garsen to Lamu, crude oil pipeline from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Juba; product oil pipeline from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Addis Ababa and Nairobi to Isiolo.

Three international airports are to be established in Lamu, Isiolo and Lake Turkana, three resort cities in Lamu, Isiolo and Lake Turkana and the multipurpose high grand falls dam along the River Tana.

We started construction of the first three berths in 2014 and we expect the work to be completed by March next year.

The total cost of construction of the three berths is Sh30 billion, but so far the government has paid the contractor Sh20 billion.

We expect to commission the first three berths in March next year to pave way for the beginning of port services in Lamu.

In support of the port activities, the government will build a road from Lamu to Garissa to connect the country to South Sudan and Ethiopia.

Last year, we signed a memorandum of understanding with South Africa to finance Lapsset through the Development Bank of South Africa.

We are negotiating with South African Development Bank in a bid to secure funding for the construction of the highway from Lamu to Garissa.

The project will be a big achievement for the country as the port will also offer services to neighbouring South Sudan and Ethiopia.

Lapsset will boost transport and trade among the three countries.

The project also got a major boost last year when Kenya and Ethiopia signed a new deal on construction of an oil pipeline.

President Kenyatta and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn signed the agreement on the pipeline which will run from Lamu to Addis Ababa.

How far is the second container terminal at the port of Mombasa?

The three-phase project entails the construction of a new container terminal with a total area of 100 hectares and capacity to handle over 1.5 million TEUs.

It is funded by Japan International Corporation Agency (Jica) and the government.

The first phase was constructed at a cost of Sh30 billion.

It was commissioned by President Kenyatta in September last year, boosting the Kenya Ports Authority’s container handling capacity by 50 per cent.

On phase two, the government has completed negotiations with Japan through Jica which culminated into signing of a loan agreement to finance the container terminal.

The construction of phase two, which is projected to cost Sh27 billion, will start once the government receives funds from the Japanese Government.

What is the progress of road projects launched at the Coast?

Since 2013, the government has been constructing roads across the coastal region which will cost Sh100 billion.

This is historical because it is the highest amount of money ever to be injected into infrastructural projects in the region that has suffered poor road network over the years.

Among them are the Dongo Kundu bypass, Moi International Airport-Port Reitz Road, Malindi-Sala Gate Road, Kaloleni-Mavueni Road and Mariakani-Bamba Road.

Construction of the first phase of the Dongo Kundu bypass at a cost of Sh5.2 billion is now 60 per cent complete and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The first phase, which is part of the Mombasa Port Area Development Project, involves the construction of a 10.1km dual carriageway from Miritini to Kipevu. It is funded by Jica.

When completed, the road will address traffic congestion between Miritini and the port of Mombasa.

The key purpose of phase one is to decongest Mombasa port through smooth flow of traffic from Kipevu to Miritini.

It will also ease the transportation of cargo from the port destined for Nairobi and neighbouring countries Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo.

The road will also tackle traffic congestion in sections of the Mombasa-Nairobi highway and speed up transportation of both goods and passengers.

On the other hand, the second phase of the bypass is set to begin in June.

Its implementation is projected to cost Sh12 billion and the government is seeking financial support from Japan.

The project involves construction of 8.96km of road between Mwache and Dongo Kundu as well as the construction of Mwache and Mteza bridges.

The third and final phase entails construction of a 6.86km road from Dongo Kundu to Kibundani.

The road will be built with an interchange at Kibundani junction with Likoni-Ukunda-Lunga Lunga highway.

When the entire project is complete, it will decongest Mombasa Island as well as provide an alternative to the ferries at Likoni.

The bypass will boost tourism in the South Coast as tourists coming from the airport will be ferried to Diani without passing through the island.

The bypass will also play a key role in the establishment of Special Economic Zone.

The zone will comprise wholesale and retail trading, re-packaging logistics, warehousing and handling, storage of goods among other activities.

Two other key projects are the airport and Port Reitz roads.

Construction of the 6.4km dual carriageway from the airport to Port Reitz Road at a cost of Sh2.8 billion is 70 per cent complete.

We expect the construction of the road to be completed between May and July.

PROJECT COMPLETION
Soon we will have a superhighway in Mombasa.

The government is holding negotiations with African Development Bank and the European Union on financing construction of a superhighway between Mombasa Island and Miritini.

It will have six lanes and is aimed at easing traffic congestion between the island and Mombasa mainland west.

The designs for the superhighway have already been done.

In Kilifi County, the government is undertaking three major road projects at a cost of more than Sh8 billion.

The construction of the 35km Kaloleni-Mavueni road at a cost of Sh2.3 billion has been completed and we shall commission it next month.

Already, construction of the 117km Malindi-Sala Gate Road has begun.

On the other hand, construction of the 45km Mariakani-Bamba road is under way.

In Lamu, a contractor is already on site to embark on the construction of the Garsen-Mokowe road at a cost of Sh8 billion.

In Taita-Taveta, the construction of the 90km Mwatate-Taveta road at a cost of Sh8.4 billion is almost complete while the Voi-Mwatate road is being rehabilitated at a cost of Sh966 million.

The rehabilitation of a 52km section of the Mombasa-Nairobi highway from Bachuma Gate to Maji ya Chumvi road is 53 per cent complete and would be completed in May.

There were plans to expand the Malindi and Ukunda airports. What is the progress of these?

We have prioritised expansion of the Malindi airport as it is expected to boost efforts to revive tourism in Kilifi County.

So far, the government has earmarked Sh300 million to compensate 62 families at Kwa Chocha whose 25 hectares of land will be used for the expansion of the airport.

Preliminary designs for extension of the runway from the current 1.4km to 2.45km are complete while Sh1.5 billion will be allocated in the next financial year for land acquisition and airport expansion.

The construction of a modern terminal building was completed and is in use while a new air traffic control tower is also in use.

In Kwale County, plans are under way to expand the Ukunda airstrip to enable it handle bigger aircraft.

A school which borders the airstrip is being moved to create room for the expansion.

What measures are being put in place to address the never ending ferry transport challenges at the Likoni channel?

Last year, the government made an order of two new ferries from Turkey at a cost of Sh1.9 billion to help improve services on the channel.

The new ferries will have a sitting capacity of 1,500 each, and a designated sitting place for the physically disabled, elderly and pregnant women.

At the moment, passengers have to stand while travelling in old ferries.

Each of the new ferries will have two rescue boats and they will be fitted with closed-circuit television cameras for the safety of passengers and prevention of crime on the vessels.

We expect to receive the ferries by June.