The Government has intensified efforts to ensure timely completion of major road projects in Mombasa County, with officials calling on implementing agencies to strengthen coordination, oversight and accountability.

Secretary Administration (SA) in the State Department for Roads Evans Mutari and the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, led by Ndia MP Kariuki Macharia, urged agencies responsible for road development to expedite works on all pending projects in the county.

During a two-day inspection tour of the Mombasa-Mtwapa Road, Mutari challenged the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) to fast-track construction of key roads that are expected to strengthen transport and logistics along the Coast.

Mutari said completion of the Mombasa-Mtwapa Road would provide an efficient transport corridor linking Lunga-Lunga to Malindi and eventually the northern frontier, enhancing regional trade and connectivity.

According to KeNHA, the road, which forms part of the wider Multinational Bagamoyo-Horohoro-Malindi road project, is 55.96 per cent complete, with the remaining works scheduled for completion by December 16, 2027.

“This particular project is shaping up to be a game changer for the economic dynamics of the Coast and the region in general. Regional integration will be boosted as the East African Community corridor will connect Kenyan ports to our Tanzanian counterparts in Tanga and Dar es Salaam,” said Mutari.

He called on implementing agencies to work together to address bottlenecks that could delay completion of the project within the scheduled timeline.

Key challenges identified included compensation of Project Affected Persons (PAPs), relocation of utilities and shortages of construction materials, which had contributed to delays in densely populated sections of the road.

Mutari said delays in compensating PAPs had initially affected progress due to inadequate budgetary allocation.

“However, upon receipt of proceeds from the securitisation of the RMFL, KeNHA remitted to the National Land Commission the total amount of Sh3.2 billion required for compensation,” he said.

He added that utilities, including water and electricity lines within the project’s right of way, had progressively been identified to facilitate their relocation.

The SA further said a shortage of bitumen caused by disruptions to global supply chains linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East had been resolved, paving the way for construction works to progress.

Mutari and members of the committee also inspected the Madafuni-Jitoni-Rabai road in Jomvu Sub-County.

The project is being implemented under the Low Volume Sealed Roads Programme, which is part of the Government’s 10,000-kilometre roads programme aimed at expanding the country’s paved road network.

by Andrew Hinga