This archive report was first published on 5 October 2019.
Published on October 5, 2019, the Africa Development Bank has approved a Sh23.8 billion loan to upgrade the 84km Kenol–Sagana–Marua Road in Central and Eastern Kenya.
The five-year project will convert the current two-way single carriageway into a dual bypass, easing transport between Nairobi and the Mount Kenya region, and ultimately to Ethiopia.
The new road will benefit producers, manufacturers, and traders, who will save time and money due to improved access on the main corridor to the north.
According to the bank, the project will also take into account climate change, with trees being planted in the surrounding area to counter road runoff, flooding, and erosion.
The Government will finance 19 per cent of the total cost of the project, while the remaining 81 per cent will be financed by the AfDB.
The bank's portfolio in Kenya consists of 38 operations, totalling around $3.3 billion (Sh330 billion).
Kenol–Sagana–Marua Road is also part of the Trans-Africa Highway, commonly known as the Cape to Cairo route.
Kenya's road network stands at about 177,800 km, with only 63,575 km classified.
