Fast-tracking the stalled Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) took centre stage as the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority held its first meeting on Thursday.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen both agreed on the need to end traffic jams in the Capital.
“Efficient, affordable and reliable mobility is key to unlocking the potential of our people. Together with the National Government, we are keen on ensuring that traffic jams are a thing of the past,” Governor Sakaja said.
In March 2023, President William Ruto revived plans to set up the BRT lines after committing Sh50 billion for the project.
Traffic snarl-ups in the Nairobi metropolis are estimated to cost the country Sh2 billion annually.
The Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (NaMATA) is implementing BRT.
NaMATA seeks to establish an integrated, efficient, effective and sustainable public transport system.
NaMATA was established by former President Uhuru Kenyatta on February 9, 2017.
It covers Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado, Machakos and Murang’a counties.
BRT project was allocated Sh1.2 billion in the 2022-23 budget by the National Treasury.
Already, five corridors have been identified by authorities to decongest Nairobi roads.
Line one is to run from James Gichuru Road-Waiyaki Way to JKIA, a distance of 20km.
The 31km line two will run from Lang’ata Road to Ngong Road, Juja Road, and Komarock Road to Ruiru with major stops at Dandora, Kariobangi and Gikomba Market.
Line three will run from Githurai through Thika Road to Moi Avenue in the CBD, terminating at Kenyatta National Hospital.
The project will be carried out in two phases under one contract.
The first section will be between Clayworks and the Nairobi CBD, while the second phase will start from Clayworks to Ruiru.
A Chinese firm, Stecol Corporation, secured the Sh5.6 billion contract to construct special lanes for high-capacity buses.
The buses are to operate between Thika Superhighway, Nairobi city centre and Kenyatta National Hospital.
The main depot for line three is at Kasarani while other minor depots will be at the Kenyatta National Hospital and Ruiru.
At Kasarani, the maintenance block that can accommodate 10 BRT buses at the same time and is expected to be completed soon is underway.
Platforms for picking up and dropping off passengers are also at an advanced stage of construction.
There are two access points to the Kasarani depot.
The buses which are 12 metres and 18 metres long described by engineers as kneeling buses are set to be used in BRT.
This is to ensure that they accommodate all passengers.
The implementation line three which runs from Githurai through Thika Road to Moi Avenue in the CBD, terminating at Kenyatta National Hospital has, however, been slowed by the lack of resources as the National Treasury is yet to release money.
Sh200 million is yet to be paid to the contractor.
