The National Government is planning to upgrade 408km of roads in Nairobi's informal settlements.
Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia says the project is one of the measures to be undertaken to improve access to essential goods and services in the capital city.
The areas covered include Kibra, Mukuru kwa Njenga, Mathare, Dagoretti, Dandora, Githurai, Korogocho/Ngomongo, Kasarani, and Roysambu
The works will be undertaken by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority and will include upgrading the roads to bitumen standards.
On Friday, Kura director general Silas Kinoti led the authority's officers in a tour of the Dagoretti to inspect roads to be upgraded under the programme.
Kinoti had earlier told the Star that talks were still in progress to reach an agreement on the plans and the amount to be spent.
Once everything is put in order, the project will be launched officially.
“We are still in the planning process and visiting the places where the upgraded roads will pass. The Covid-19 pandemic has given us a chance to open up the slums and make them very accessible,” Kinoti said.
He added, “In cases where ambulances need to access the areas or water being transported to the people should not encounter hitches due to poor road network.”
In 2018, the Nairobi Disaster Management Unit had raised concern that poor roads were hampering the quick response to disasters like fire outbreaks.
Most areas, especially in the informal settlements have poor road networks, making it difficult for firefighters to arrive in time.
Places like Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Korogocho and Mathare have already been declared special planning areas ahead of their upgrade by the Nairobi Metropolitan Service.
This is in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s March 18, 2020, directive to have NMS undertake slum-upgrading initiatives in the capital.
Already, road constructions in Mukuru kwa Njenga have started and they are being improved to bitumen standards.
Edited by P.O
