This archive report was first published on 27 October 2019.
As the government pushes forward with plans to construct a 27km expressway linking Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the Museum Hill interchange in Nairobi, many are left wondering if the project is worth the cost.
According to reports, the expressway is expected to cost approximately Sh3.7 billion per kilometre, with the total project estimated to be around Sh100 billion.
However, critics argue that the number of passengers traveling to and from the JKIA is relatively low, with only a few thousand passengers per day. This, combined with the impending competition from the expansion of the Dar es Salaam and Entebbe airports, and the planned 2020 opening of the Bugesera International Airport in Rwanda, raises questions about the viability of the project.
Furthermore, the planned expressway is not expected to solve the more pressing issues of traffic congestion in Nairobi, such as the lack of an efficient public transport system, the bad manners of many Kenyan drivers, and the lack of a well-coordinated and enforced traffic flow.
Instead of investing in a costly expressway, many believe that the government should focus on improving the existing infrastructure and public transport system in Nairobi.
As Mr. Mshindi, the former editor-in-chief of the Nation Group, noted, 'There are plenty of well-tested initiatives that can bring some sanity back into the transport system.'
With the government's plans to hive off part of Uhuru Park grounds for the expressway project, many are left wondering if the project is worth the cost and if it will truly benefit the people of Nairobi.
Published on October 27, 2019 by Tom Mshindi
