Infrastructure

Chinese Firm Wins Northern Bypass Dualling Tender

The government hopes to launch construction works by August.

Updated on

January 31, 2018

Northern Bypass dualling — The Northern Bypass will be completed in about two years once it is commissioned. PHOTO | FILE

State-owned Chinese firm Sinohydro Limited has signed a commercial agreement with Kenya to undertake the much-awaited dualling of the Nairobi Northern Bypass, setting the stage for a new round of fundraising for the 31-kilometre road project.

According to Transport and Infrastructure Secretary James Macharia, the government hopes to obtain financing for the project by April to launch construction works by August.

“We have entered into a commercial agreement with Sinohydro as part of a wider plan for the dualling of the Northern Bypass,” Mr Macharia told journalists on Tuesday.

“We are looking forward to getting funds from prospective financiers. We hope the project together with the Eastern Bypass construction will cost between Sh30 billion and Sh40 billion. This should be sorted out in the next three months.”

The Nairobi Northern Bypass, which is already motorable, is one the government’s key projects aimed at transforming Nairobi into a regional business hub.

The road starts from Ruaka on Limuru Road, overpasses Banana Road through Runda and Thome estates. The bypass then proceeds to Kahawa West and eventually to Ruiru, through Kamae, where it joins the Eastern Bypass.

China Road and Bridge Corporation undertook phase one of the project.

The Northern Bypass has become very popular with motorists seeking to avoid the perennial traffic jam in the Nairobi central business district – prompting the government to expand it into a dual carriageway to forestall congestion on the road.

The project is among 11 major infrastructure developments that were presented by Kenya to investors during the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Co-operation in Beijing, China, in May last year.

The Nairobi Northern Bypass dualling project, which includes construction of interchanges and flyovers, will take two years to complete once the contractor launches works.