The National government requires Sh1.5 billion to rehabilitate and upgrade Nairobi’s road network
The Annual Public Roads Programme (APRP) for the financial year 2018-2019 says the amount would cover 609.79 kilometres in the city.
Kenya Roads Board Executive Director Jacob Ruwa said that the projects will be jointly financed, and Naiobi dwith the Nairobi county will cover 15 per cent of the budget.
The fuel levy fund managed by the Kenya Roads Board is shared with the road agencies. The Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) gets 40 per cent and Kenya Rural Roads Authority (Kerra) 21.8 per cent, he said.
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) will cater for 10.2 per cent, county governments 15 per cent and the Kenya Wildlife Service will have one per cent.
“KRB retains the remaining 10 per cent which it allocates to road agencies on a case-by-case basis with another two per cent for its operations,” Ruwa said.
The Nairobi assembly Transport Committee says the city has a 3,600km road network.
Out of this, only 50 per cent of it is tarmacked, 20 per cent gravelled while the remaining 30 per cent are earth roads.
The transport report said the total cost of tarmacking a 20km road is aboutSh1 billion at the rate of Sh50 million per kilometre.
Transport CS James Macharia said, however, that the funds available for the maintenance are inadequate.
“The APRP only funds 50 per cent of road network needs, indicating a huge financing gap. There is a huge maintenance backlog estimated at over Sh400 billion,” the CS said.
Macharia said the ministry is pursuing alternative funding for road maintenance and development. Under the programme, Kerra and Kura have highlighted projects they will cover in this financial year.
Covering 21.19km in road network, Kerra has a budget of Sh164 million for all 17 subcounties in Nairobi. Each subcounty has been allocated at least Sh9.6 million for additional roadworks.
Ongoing works include the
Nairobi Roads Rapid Decongestion Phase One, rehabilitation in Embakasi East, Westlands and Langata subcounties and upgrading of Upper Hill Road Phase One in Starehe subcounty.
Others include construction of missing link roads and non-motorised transport facilities in the subcounties of Starehe, Mathare, Westlands, Kamkunji and Mathare, all ongoing. Kura has
allocated Sh1.29 billion for additional works.
A total 588.60 kilometers will be covered in this financial year by the authority. Targeted areas include major city roads and those in residential areas.They include Kayole Spine, Manyanja, Bogani East, Baba Dogo, Peponi, Josep Kangethe, Utawala and Kasarani-Mwiki.