Dongo Kundu Bypass – Mombasa Southern Bypass Project Updates, Kenya

The construction of the Sh4.89 billion Mwache Junction-Tsunza-Mteza road, which forms a part of the second phase of the Dongo Kundu Bypass project, is reportedly over 53.9% complete. This came to light when the deputy project coordinator Eustace Mutea was addressing the press at the Tsunza Bridge site.

According to Mutea,  phase II of the Dongo Kundu Bypass project the implementation of which commenced on March 13, 2020, with a 48 months completion timeframe, will connect the west mainland to the south coast through Tsunza, and open all the hinterland in Kwale county while reducing traffic at the Likoni crossing channel.

“This road will ease traffic at the ferry, connect Mombasa with Kwaleand also make a good access to the coast and Tanzania that we expect will have a significant impact on trade along the south,” said the deputy project coordinator.

An overview of the 2^nd Phase of the Dongo Kundu Bypass

The 2^nd Phase of the Dongo Kundu Bypass is an 8.96km section that runs in a southerly direction from the interchange for four kilometres, crossing the Mwache creek and going through Tsunza peninsula before turning eastwards across the Mteza Creek.

With the Fujita Corporation-Mitsubishi Corporation consortium as the contractor, the project involves the dualization of the carriageway starting from the Mwache interchange, and the construction of an interchange at the Likoni-Lunga Lunga highway, and the erection of three bridges, one at Mwache spanning 660 meters.

The other two bridges will be Tsunza Viaduct which measures 690 meters, and the Mteza Bridge, which is expected to be the longest bridge over water in the East African country and the entire region straddling 1,440 meters.

Dongo Kundu Bypass Highway Background

Dongo Kundu Bypass Highway also referred to as Mombasa Southern Bypass, is a highway under construction in Mombasa county. The highway will link Mombasa Mainland West with Mombasa Mainland South, without getting into Mombasa Island.

Dongo Kundu Bypass starts from Miritini, on the Nairobi Highway, around 11 kilometres northwest of Mombasa’s central business district. The highway stretches around the western edge of Mombasa International Airport to Mwache, west of the airport. From Mwache, at the water edge, several bridges support the highway through Port Reitz Bay to Dongo Kundu on the southern bay. From Dongo Kundu, the highway stretches again in the southeastern direction to end at Ng’ombeni, on the Malindi–Bagamoyo Highway. The entire bypass highway length is approximately 17.5 kilometres.

The construction tender was offered to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation. The three-phase scheme is budgeted at KSh25 billion. The first phase was the completed Miritini to Kipevu section, which cost KSh11 billion, money borrowed from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The last dual carriageway project involves the building of an interchange at the Likoni-Lunga Lunga highway and the construction of two bridges one at Mwache extending 660 metres, and another of 1,440 metres at Mteza.

The highway is a significant transport corridor for traffic operating to and from Tanzania and that of the Kenyan interior and beyond. It will reduce traffic pressure at the Likoni Ferry and decongest Mombasa Island. Four bridges will be constructed in the swamps and through the open ocean water, as part of the bypass.

Other road developments being part of the project include the 10.1 kilometres dual carriageway from Miritini to Kipevu, the 1.3 kilometres road connecting Moi International Airport to the bypass passing west of the airport and clover-leaf interchanges in Miritini and Kipevu.

Read also: The LAPSSET Corridor Project Timeline

Reported earlier

Dec 2014

Construction of US$ 2.76m Dongo Kundu bypass in Kenya to start early next year

Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Transport John Mosonik has said that construction of the Dongo Kundu bypass in Mombasa will start early next year. The much-awaited infrastructure project is expected to decongest Mombasa by serving as an alternative to the Likoni ferry. It will link the mainland to the south coast.

Mosonik has also said that the government is going to announce the winner of the tender for Phase I within two coming weeks. Dongo Kundu bypass will be a single carriageway running 16.2km, and the government has signed an agreement with Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) (in June 2012) for latter to provide US$ 2.76m for the construction.

It will also facilitate the construction of a free port at the Dongo Kundu. To be undertaken in three phases, the project will involve the construction of a road that links Kipevu to Miritini and another to link Dongo Kundu with Mwache. Construction of long-span bridges over the creeks will also be undertaken on the road linking Mwache to Dongo Kundu. Another road will also be constructed to link Dongo Kundu to Kibundani, to link with Likoni- Lunga Lunga road according to Mosonik. Being funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), this phase will be expected to complete in 30 months.

Phase two construction works will entail the construction of the Mwache – Dongo Kundu stretch. On this route, Mwache Bridge will also be set up. The Dongo Kundu – Kibundani stretch will be constructed in Phase III of the project.

Construction of the bypass will be a crucial undertaking to opening the south coast to tourism and agricultural activities. Kenya is also investing in the construction/rehabilitation of 10, 000km of roads, and work on 3000 km is set to start this December.

Jun 2015

Construction works on Dongo Kundu bypass in Kenya to start soon

The ground-breaking ceremony of the Dongo Kundu bypass which links Miritini to the Mombasa port will be done soon and construction works to commence thereafter; this is according to the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).

“Mobilisation of equipment is now complete and soon the contractor will commence the Dongo Kundu bypass project,” said Charles Njogu, in charge of communications at KeNHA.

The Dongo Kundu bypass project which is anticipated to enhance and ease the movement of cargoes from the port of Mombasa to neighbouring countries will take 36 months to complete.

The construction will be divided into three phases, the first being the construction of a 10km stretch from Miritini to Kipevu, linking the port with the Mombasa-Nairobi highway. The second section will cover Mwache to Dongo Kundu, which includes the building of long-span bridges, and the third section will be from Dongo Kundu to Kibundani to join the Likoni-Lunga Lunga road.

Dongo Kundu bypass project is projected to cost a whopping US$ 40m. It measures about 17.5 km from Miritini on the mainland to Ng’ombeni on the south mainland. The bypass will consist of four bridges through swampy land and the ocean.

It will provide the necessary infrastructure to develop the Mombasa free trade zone similar to the one in Dubai. It will run two kilometres west of Moi International Airport in Mombasa and connect the Likoni-Diani and the Mombasa-Nairobi highways.

Construction of the bypass began in July.

2018

The highway’s first phase worth Sh11 billion was completed. The phase comprised the construction of a number of roads, bridges and viaducts (a long bridge-like structure) connecting Mombasa West with the South Coast in Kwale.

May 2018

Kenya to open US $108.6m phase one of Dongo Kundu bypass

Kenya is set to open phase one of the US $108.6m Dongo Kundu bypass for public use by next week. This is according to KeNHA’s Coast Regional Director, Jared Makori.

The bypass project which started in July 2016 is expected to decongest the Mombasa-Nairobi highway. The project runs from Mombasa Port’s second container terminal and links the highway at Bonje, near Mazeras.

“Motorists will be allowed to use the roads in the first phase. The works are now complete and we want to officially hand it over to the public,” said Jared.

Economy

Meanwhile, plans are underway for the construction of the second and third phases, which will connect the north and south coasts. According to the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), work will start by July on the remaining two phases at a cost of US $296.2m.

The project is aimed at easing transport within Mombasa County, boosting industrial development and reducing transportation costs. Mr Makori said the road will boost confidence among investors in the hospitality industry who have complained about poor transport.

“They were shying away from putting their money in an area faced with serious transport problems,” said Jared Makori. “It will also provide an alternative to the busy Likoni channel, which has been afflicted by the frequent breakdown of ferries,” he added.

Traffic

Motorists are on most occasions delayed at the channel due to traffic snarl-ups. At least 320,000 people and more than 6,000 vehicles use the Likoni channel daily.

Also read: Construction works on Dongo Kundu bypass in Kenya to start soon

In phase two, an 8.9 km road between Mwache Junction and Mteza will be built while the third phase will see the construction of a 6.9 km road between Mteza and Kibundani, linking the highway to the Likoni-Lunga Lunga Road where there will be an interchange.

Additionally, two bridges will be constructed, one at Mwache 900 m long and another at Mteza 1400 m long. A sightseeing bay will also be built and 88 hectares of mangroves will be replanted

Sep 2018

Kenya to begin construction of phase 2 US $297m Dongo Kundu bypass

Kenya is set to commence construction works of the second and third phases of the US $297m Dongo Kundu bypass next month following clearance from the Attorney General.

The Kenya National Highways Authority director-general, Peter Mundinia confirmed the reports and said that the project is also known as the Southern Bypass aims at easing traffic at Likoni Ferry and de-congesting the port and town.

Also read: Kenya to open US $108.6m phase one of Dongo Kundu bypass

Dongo Kundu bypass project

The launch of Dongo Kundu Bypass Phase 2 and 3 also followed the recent completion and official opening of phase one of the project by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.

Phases two and three of the project will involve the construction of an interchange at the Likoni-Lunga Lunga highway and the installation of two bridges: one at Mwache – spanning 900 metres, and a second at Mteza spanning 1.4km.

The bypass will connect the main corridors; the Nairobi-Mombasa, Mombasa-Malindi and Mombasa-Lunga Lunga highways.

Work on the US $238m 9km Mwache-Mteza dual carriageway, with two overseas bridges of 600m, 1,440m and a 660m viaduct, is scheduled to take 48 months as the 7km Mteza-Kibundani Road (phase three of Dongo Kundu), at a cost of  $39, will take 24 months.

Kenya Tourism Federation chairman Mohamed Hersi, Mombasa Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry KNCCI) branch chairperson Rukia Rashid and Diani Reef Beach Resort and Spa managing director Bobby Kamani welcomed the building of the new road.

“The blue economy is about exploiting ocean resources such as fishing. These new linkages will connect the port and Special Economic Zones, attracting investments in fish processing and other specialized sectors for the export market. The zones are key to the realization of the big four industrialization goals,” said Peter Mundinia.

March 2019

Construction of phase2 Dongo Kundu bypass in Kenya set to commence

Phase one of the project was done by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation at a cost of US $110m from July 2016 to June 2018. Kenya acquired financing for the bypass through a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) in 2014 with a repayment option of up to 30 years at an interest rate of 1.2%.

2020

Plans to speed up the completion of the Dongo Kundu Southern bypass in Mombasa were moved a notch higher after the allocation of Sh8.4 billion for the scheme in the Sh3.6 trillion budget for the 2021/2022 financial year.

The second and third phases commenced in earnest in March 2020. The third phase comprises a six-kilometre stretch of tarmac road construction, between the Mteza Bridge and Likoni -Lunga Lunga highway in the Ngombeni area.

September 2021

Second phase construction of Dongo Kundu bypass project in Kenya takes shape

Construction work on phase two of the Dongo Kundu bypass project in Kenya is taking shape. Kwale County Commissioner (CC), Joseph Kanyiri who led members of the County Development Implementation Coordination Committee (CDICC) onsite inspection, said the contractors are against time to complete the mega project scheduled to be completed by 2024.

Dongo Kundu bypass project, also known as the Mombasa Southern Bypass will connect three main transport corridors, including the Mombasa-Nairobi highway, Mombasa-Malindi highway and the Mombasa- Lunga Lunga highway and is expected to minimize traffic gridlocks in Mombasa and its environs.

Also Read:Dualling of Nyali-Kilifi road in Kenya to begin in January 2022

Boost trade and tourism sector

Phase one of the Dongo Kundu bypass project completed and opened in 2018, runs from Mombasa Port’s second container terminal and joins the Mombasa-Nairobi highway at Bonje, near Mazeras. The phase was done by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation at a cost of US $110m. Kenya acquired financing for the bypass through a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) in 2014 with a repayment option of up to 30 years at an interest rate of 1.2%.