Construction works of the Kenol-Isiolo dual road in Kenya, a project that seeks to further ease transportation and trade in the Northern Corridor is set to commence next month.
Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) Director General Peter Mundinia confirmed the reports and said that a contractor would be on site at the beginning of July, hence the need for structures on the way of the designed carriageway to be demolished.
“All the necessary arrangements about the project having been put in place and we are ready to begin. This project will open opportunities from Moyale to Nairobi due to the good infrastructure,” said Mundinia.
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Kenol-Isiolo dual road
The much awaited 80-km highway road would link Kenol, in Machakos County, to the towns of Ruiru and Thika, in Kiambu County, Kabati and Makuyu in Muranga County, Sagana and Kibirigwi in Kirinyaga County, Karatina and Kiganjo in Nyeri County, Nanyuki in Laikipia County and Isiolo, in Isiolo County. The road is an extension of Thika Superhighway that was built by President Mwai Kibaki’s regime to open up the Northern Corridor connecting the Coast to northern Kenya and Ethiopia.
The project estimated to cost US $488m, is being financed by the African Development Bank. KeNHA was designing of the Nyeri-Isiolo stretch, having completed the Kenol-Nyeri segment in readiness for the commencement of the bidding process to determine the budget.
The proposal to convert the busy road to a dual carriageway has driven many to acquire parcels locally, leading to an increase in land prices. An acre of land that previously went for US $1950 can now fetch US $39,017. In some areas the same size of land goes for US $68000. Some businessmen are already buying and selling land to developers engaged in hospitality.
