The national government will spend Sh5.8 billion to upgrade 408km roads in Nairobi's informal settlements.
Kenya Urban Roads Authority announced that the project is set to begin by the end of this month. Kura director general Silas Kinoti on Monday said mapping of the targeted areas to where the access roads will be set up has been ongoing.
"As Kura, we are at the planning stage and we are also identifying which corridors need to be cleared," he said.
The areas covered include Kibra, Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Mathare, Dagoretti, Dandora, parts of Githurai 44 and 45, Mwiki, Korogocho/Ngomongo, Kasarani, and Roysambu.
Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia last month said the project is one of the measures to be undertaken to improve access to essential goods and services in the capital city. The roads will be tarmacked.
Kura corporate communication official John Cheboi noted that despite the survey, the authority is also talking to people in the affected areas before the project starts.
“As we are still surveying, we are talking to people on the ground so that they can voluntarily open the places where the access roads are meant to pass before the contractors go on site," he said.
Cheboi also highlighted that currently, a lot of groundwork is taking place in the areas, as well as talks with entities such as the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) and the Nairobi government.
“A number of contractors will be part of the project which will see the whole plan very effective,” he added.
Development in informal settlements has been driven by President Uhuru Kenyatta since he formed the NMS in March this year.
He directed NMS director general Mohammed Badi to ensure essential services and commodities are available in the informal settlements. To improve the status of city roads, NMS project on the construction of an asphalt plant along Kangundo Road is scheduled for completion in December.
The plant will provide material for upgrading and re-carpeting of roads. It is expected to produce 2,400 tonnes of asphalt per day, enough to recarpet three kilometres.
