This archive report was first published on 1 November 2019.
Kenya: State Abandons Bid to Excise Uhuru Park for Expressway ¶
Published on November 1, 2019
The Kenyan government has abandoned plans to excise 18 meters of Uhuru Park for the JKIA-Waiyaki Way Expressway, citing concerns from Kenyans. The project will now be redesigned to leave the park intact.
Infrastructure Principal Secretary Paul Maringa assured Kenyans that no part of the park will be touched, stating that the design has been varied to ensure the park remains intact.
"We have since varied the design and we shall make sure that Uhuru Park remains intact," Kenya National Highways Authority Director-General Peter Mundinia explained.
The project, which will cost an estimated Sh59.9 billion, will be constructed, managed, and maintained by the China Road and Bridge Company (CRBC) for 27 years. The CRBC will also enjoy a tax holiday during this period.
Projected to cost Sh3.2 billion per km, the project has been criticized for being too expensive compared to similar projects in other countries, including Ethiopia.
Drivers who do not prefer to use the expressway will still have the option of using the older Mombasa Road.
