• Road to facilitate the movement of goods to and from the port’s cargo facility at the Mbaraki Wharf.
• Bulk cargoes handled at the Mbaraki terminal include cement, fluorspar, soda ash, grain and clinker.
Image: FILE
Mombasa county and TradeMark East Africa have signed a Sh270 million co-financing deal for construction of a road that will ease congestion.
It will also facilitate smooth traffic flow to the Northern Corridor. The $2.7 million project — also called ‘Green Road’ by the TradeMark East Africa (TEA) for its design considerations of climate and environmental factors — will cover a 1.2-kilometre stretch connecting Mbaraki area to Nyerere Avenue.
Speaking in Mombasa during the deal signing ceremony, TEA country director Ahmed Farah said the project is meant to alleviate congestion and boost connectivity to the Northern Corridor further north westwards.
“With the increase in port activity and of the level of congestion in Mombasa, this project aims at alleviating some of the pressure the county has faced over the years,” he said.
The Northern Corridor is the regional transport route made up of a road and rail network to facilitate the movement of goods and services. Its main road network runs from the port city of Mombasa and links the entire region.
“We are looking at Mombasa not only as the gateway to Kenya but also to the East and Central Africa, serving a population of about 150 million people. So it ties well with TEA's mission of supporting the removal of trade barriers in East Africa and enhancing the competitiveness of the region,” he added.
Of the sum, TEA will inject about Sh230 million while the county government contributes will contribute Sh40 million).
The road will allow cargo transport to and from the port’s conventional facility at the Mbaraki Wharf. Bulk cargoes handled at the Mbaraki terminal include cement, fluorspar, soda ash, grain and clinker.
The current road is not of bitumen standards, raising both health and environmental concerns in the long-term.
“In its strategic plan, the Port of Mombasa is looking to build the Mbaraki Wharf to improve on its cargo handling. Mostly, the cargo handled there is dirty, so before we know it, most people living around the area will be in an unsuitable environment,” Farah said.
“So the future and potential impact of this road will not only be the congestion issue but also the environmental aspect.”
The planned road, whose construction is set to begin once a contractor is identified, will also have a complementary non-motorist transport system.
“It will accommodate not only pedestrians but also physically challenged and cyclists. We hope that it would be a blueprint that will be adopted across the country,” he said.
Mombasa Deputy Governor William Kingi said the construction will last for eight months once the works begin.