• The state however said necessary infrastructure was yet to be put in place.
• Transport CS James Macharia on Friday told the Star they are waiting for another batch of 31 buses.
Image: COURTESY
The first batch of buses for the much-awaited Bus Rapid Transit in Nairobi are in the country, the government announced on Friday.
The state however said necessary infrastructure was yet to be put in place.
Transport CS James Macharia on Friday told the Star they are waiting for another batch of 31 buses.
“The first batch was 32 buses. What we are now trying to do is fast-track the construction of stations and other supporting infrastructure so that as the buses come we shall have proper infrastructure,” he said.
“We are just contracting and it will be done very quickly…..maybe one or two months to make sure we have proper support infrastructure.”
The CS said about Sh 1.2 billion needed to roll out infrastructure has since been allocated.
The government is looking for a private company to support the project.
The implementation of the bus rapid transit system in Nairobi has been faced with various challenges as the city is ill-prepared.
Details of how and who will run the BRT have been scanty with Matatu Owners Association chairman Simon Kimutai accusing the government of “starting with the cart before the horse”.
Lack of necessary infrastructure on the targeted roads remains a major hurdle.
The roads have not been designed to international standards.
The buses ordered from South Africa have to conform to the KS-372- bodybuilding standards developed by the Kenya Bureau of Standards.
In January, Macharia announced the first batch of Sh1.6 billion high capacity buses would arrive from South Africa in a matter of a few weeks.
The 64 units were expected at the beginning of the year.
“Bus Rapid Transit is a process that needs systems and infrastructure to be in a place that meets international standards. We need a management company, fare collection system, and controls,” Kimutai told the Star.
Kimutai said successful execution of a project of such magnitude takes up to 10 years.
Five BRT corridors were to be launched to decongest Nairobi roads.
The corridors are to be marked by red lines. Line 1 is to run from James Gichuru Road/Waiyaki Way to JKIA, a distance of 20km.
Line 2, which is 31km long, will run from Lang’ata Road to Ngong Road, Juja Road, Komarock Road to Ruiru. It will have major stops at Dandora, Kariobangi and near Gikomba Market.
Line 3 will run from Githurai through Thika Road to Moi Avenue in the CBD and terminate at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Line 4 will cover 14km from T-Mall to Jogoo Road, while Line 5 will be on Outering Road.
Nearly all the corridors have not been secured. For instance, Juja Road has to be expanded.
In November, Africa programme director for Institute for Transportation and Development Policy Christopher Kost said expanding roads will be a problem because most road reserves have been encroached on.
Only Thika Superhighway and the newly built Outering Road will not require expansion.
In October, Macharia admitted that the implementation will take longer than expected because of encroachment on road reserves.
The CS also cited poor planning that never dedicated land for buses.
On February 9, 2017, President Kenyatta formed the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority through an executive order.
Namata covers Nairobi City, Kiambu, Kajiado, Machakos and Murang’ counties.
The authority is still grappling with how it will oversee the establishment of an integrated, efficient, effective and sustainable public transport system within the Metropolitan Area.
The number of vehicles in Nairobi is likely to be 1.35 million in 2030. The National Transport and Service Authority (NTSA) registers 7,000 vehicles monthly and 90,000 every year in Nairobi.
For the city to have an effective transport system, it requires 900 buses.
In March last year, the government introduced 27 buses to help alleviate the commuter crisis.
Another 50 buses were introduced in April in a move aimed at subsidizing fares, despite opposition from Matatu operators.
Many thought the move would help ease the transport problem. However, the move did not work.