This archive report was first published on 6 November 2019.
Published on November 6, 2019, Nairobi — The construction of the multi-billion shilling Nairobi Expressway has hit a snag after a National Assembly committee ordered a fresh social and environmental impact assessment.
The committee, led by Chairman Kareke Mbiuki, expressed concerns that the project's route had been varied without a new assessment being conducted.
According to the committee, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Director General Mamo Boru had not been furnished with the necessary documents required before the project could proceed.
MPs Hilary Koskei, Rehema Hassan, and Paul Nzengu explained that the committee was trying to prevent the project from being delayed through litigation by ensuring that the proper legal procedures were followed.
The committee has invited Transport CS James Macharia and the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to appear before it in two weeks to provide an update on the impact assessment.
The original design of the expressway would have seen it cut through the Uhuru recreational park and the historic papal dais at the University of Nairobi, requiring compensations worth over Sh4.1 billion.
