Motorists and pedestrians in Kenya will be enjoying driving and trekking this coming December as the Kenol-Marua dual carriageway project is set to be partially opened.
Transport Cabinet Secretary, James Macharia, has assured that the highway will be opened in December to give reprieve to motorists and pedestrians.
The $273.3 million project is the country’s second most expensive road after Thika superhighway that cost $418 million.
It is set to connect the Northern Corridor from Nairobi to the Lapsset Corridor in Isiolo. It is African Development Bank (AfDB) financed project that is expected to link Kenya to Ethiopia.
The the 84km road project starts from Kenol Township in Murang’a through Makutano and Sagana in Kirinyaga County, proceed to Kambiti in Machakos and end at Marua in Nyeri County.
Phase one of the project will see 36 kilometres of road constructed from Sagana to Marua while the second phase will stretch for 48 kilometres from Kenol to Sagana. The project is also scheduled to be fully completed a year earlier.
The road was to be completed in 2023 however, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA) Chairman, Wangai Ndirangu said that the Authority were under clear instructions to have the projects ready by June 2022 for a presidential launch before the President Uhuru Kenyatta retires.
The expansion of the Kenol-Sagana-Marua highway coded A2 upon completion is expected to majorly impact the regions it cuts through, which are Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Machakos and Embu counties.
Traveling time between Nyeri and Nairobi will be cut down by at least one hour. Gatakaini to Njabini road will make a direct link between Murang’a and Nyandarua counties.
Naivasha to Njabini road will improve the link between Nakuru and Nyandarua further enhancing trade between the two counties.
The highway will open up the northern corridor, creating employment opportunities in the agriculture, tourism, small and medium-sized enterprises sectors.
