President Uhuru Kenyatta has commissioned the US$420mn Isiolo-Moyale road in northern region. The road will connect Kenya to Ethiopia.
Also read: Construction of Ethio-Kenya Road almost complete
The Isiolo-Moyale road is part of the Trans-Africa Highway Corridor.Kenya upgraded the road to bitumen standards. The upgrade was supported by African Development Bank (ADB) and China Exim Bank.
The Isiolo-Moyale highway is also a key plank of the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia (LAPSSET) Corridor Project. An economic and transport corridor that stretches from Lamu port in the coastal Kenya to South Sudan and Ethiopia.
Also read: Kenya Roads Board seeking US$ 547m for road maintenance
The road project is being implemented in three phases: 121 km Merille River-Marsabit, 121 km Marsabit-Turbi and 121 km Turbi-Moyale.
The commissioning of the new road and the Isiolo International Airport will promote cross-border trade and lift the lives of Kenyans.
Travellers will no longer face traveling challenge and will be able to access goods and services from the markets. Additionally, Kenyans has been assured of improved economy brought about by the Isiolo-Moyale road and the Isiolo international airport.
Lamu port project
The government of Kenya is implementing the Lamu port project which will be completed by next year. On completion, the construction of Lamu-Garissa-Isiolo road will be launched open up the second transport corridor in Kenya.
Ethiopians will be coming to purchase goods from Moyale market, as the market will become a market centre for Kenyan goods and services.
On completion, Moyale residents will no longer wake up saying they are going to Kenya. Rather they will enjoy all services like other Kenyan citizens.
Also read: AfDB approves US$ 253m to ugrade roads connecting Kenya and Uganda
The road is also a key link to the Great North Trans African Highway that links Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt. the road has been identified as a priority project in the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) short-term action plan.
The Isiolo-Moyale road will significantly boost security and tourism in the Northern part of Kenya. Apart from the planned resort city of Isiolo and the Isiolo International Airport,
However, the road will open up Northern tourism belt. This will increase the tourism activities in Mt. Kenya, Samburu, Meru, Aberdares and Marsabit National Parks as well as the wildlife conservancies within the region.
