Construction works on the Nyanza Sugar Belt Road is set to begin next month. Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) Director–General Peter Mundinia made the announcement and said that permits would be secured within the next week paving the way for works.
Construction works are expected to begin at the intersection with Kisumu – Kakamega (A1) road in Kisumu at Mamboleo and progress through Miwani, Chemelil, Muhoroni eventually terminating at Kapsitet junction, where it joins the Kericho -Kisumu road.
The road project entails resurfacing of the road to class II bitumen standard. Other improvements include the widening of the road to 11 meters, along with the construction of shoulders, culverts, drainage channels, passing lanes, bus stops, and access roads in urban centers. In some sections for example from the Mamboleo/A1 intersection to Great Lakes University, the road will be widened to a dual carriageway. A seven-metre single carriageway near the Great Lakes University section will also be constructed with two-metre wide shoulders along the entire stretch.
Boost in trade
The project is estimated to take one year to be completed upon which, it is expected to open up the region it reverses which has been largely closed out for decades after motorists abandoned the motorway, opting for the smoother Kericho-Kisumu road going through Awasi and Ahero. This will ultimately improve trade in the western region and beyond the border to other East African nations.
The 63-kilometre road is also expected to significantly reduce travel time between Kisumu, Nandi, and Kericho counties, thus ensuring faster accessibility and delivery of services. The link with the highway from Kisumu brings an additional relief after the section between Muhoroni and the Kaitui junction repeatedly deteriorated despite several contracts being awarded to repair the road.
