This archive report was first published on 17 October 2019.
President Kenyatta Unveils Multi-Billion Shilling Infrastructure Projects ¶
On October 17, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned three key transport and trade infrastructure projects aimed at boosting Kenya's economy.
The projects include the Nairobi Expressway, a 27-kilometer double-decker highway that will run from Mlolongo to Westlands, and Phase 2A of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), which will stretch from Nairobi to Suswa in Narok County.
During the commissioning ceremony, President Kenyatta emphasized the importance of investing in modern infrastructure to attract investors and create employment opportunities.
He also announced that Shs 6.9 billion had been secured for the construction of the Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Naivasha, a railway marshalling yard, and a logistics zone.
The President further stated that the government will mobilize financial resources from its budget and involve the private sector to fast-track the development of industries within the Naivasha Special Economic Zone.
Other supporting infrastructure for the SEZ in the pipeline include the development of an interchange between SGR and the Metre Gauge Railways (MGR), trans-shipment facilities around Mai Mahiu, and road and rail links to the Suswa-Longonot line.
President Kenyatta pointed out that infrastructure projects should not be viewed as profit-making investments but as means of spurring socio-economic growth.
He also noted that the first phase of the SGR had repositioned the port of Mombasa as a strategic seaport in the region and that the commissioning of the 120-kilometer Nairobi-Naivasha segment will spur economic activities in the catchment.
Earlier, while addressing wananchi after the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Nairobi expressway, President Kenyatta said the new road will help decongest the city and create employment opportunities for the youth.
