Infrastructure
Malindi-Bagamoyo Highway Work Behind Schedule
The road project is likely to miss the 2025 completion deadline.
The Malindi-Bagamoyo highway project, designed to enhance regional connectivity, is facing significant delays threatening its 2025 completion deadline.
The project, which has been underway since 2021 and is being executed in phases, was previously on track, with December 2023 updates showing 35% completion of phase one.
The 460 km highway, whose construction was to begin in 2016, faced delays due to various issues, among them a full re-design of the Tanzania segment.
There were also environmental concerns around the Saadani National Park – which led to an extra 80 km detour around the wildlife park.
However, these issues were later resolved, paving the way for phase one of the project, covering 54 km within Kenya and 120 km within Tanzania.
In Kenya, the road starts at the proposed New Mtwapa Bridge next to Mtwapa town. It runs northerly through Mtwapa, Majengo, Kanamai, Kwa Kadzengo, Kijipwa, Shariani, Takaungu, and Mavueni before culminating at Kilifi.
This segment is expected to cost Sh7.7 billion ($50 million).
In Tanzania, the road runs from Mkange through Tungumaa to Pangani.
“The development of this road is planned in phases owing to the size (a total of 454 kilometres), the need for a review of the studies for some of the sections, and the huge investment required,” says Godfrey Enzama, Principal of Civil Engineer.
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The project is funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF), the European Union (EU), and the governments of Kenya and Tanzania.
Despite initial optimism, the Sh97.5 billion ($751 million) Coastline Transnational Highway project, officially known as such, is now behind schedule due to funding shortfalls, land acquisition delays, and administrative issues.
Although work in Kenya is about 75% complete, delays on the Tanzanian side raise concerns about missing the 2025 deadline.
Kenya maintains it is on track to meet its 2024 deadline, despite administrative setbacks that have slowed progress.
According to the latest EAC report, the 50 km Tanga-Pangani stretch is “substantially complete with funding from the Government of Tanzania.”
EAC Secretary Veronica Nduva says the Pangani-Tungamaa section (26 km) and the Pangani Bridge, with its 525-metre span, “is progressing well, with funding from AfDB and the Government of Tanzania.”
The report notes that work is proceeding as planned on the Tungamaa-Mkange (95 km) stretch, but the Mkanage-Makurunge stretch “is still lacking funds for construction.”
The AfDB has released some funds for this phase.
The 229 km road includes 50km from Tanga to Pangani funded by Tanzania, 120 km from Pangani to Tungamaa-Kwamsisi and the Pangani Bridge financed by an AfDB loan, and 59 km awaiting funding.
The 2025 completion deadline for the Malindi-Bagamoyo road project is now at risk due to these financial and administrative challenges.
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