Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) Director General (DG) Eng. Luka Kimeli inspected the ongoing Mombasa – Kwa Jomvu – Mariakani (A8) Road Project, reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to delivering quality highway infrastructure that supports efficient transport and regional trade.
Eng. Kimeli said the inspection of the Mombasa – Kwa Jomvu – Mariakani Road focused on assessing implementation milestones and ensuring that construction continues to meet the required standards of quality, safety, and timely delivery.
The KeNHA DG said the Sh10.4 billion Mombasa – Kwa Jomvu – Mariakani Road is a key component of the Regional Mombasa Port Access Road Project.
The Regional Mombasa Port Access Road Project is a major infrastructure initiative to widen and upgrade critical transport links from the Port of Mombasa toward Mariakani and inland East Africa.
It reduces traffic jams, cuts travel times, and speeds up cargo movement and evacuation along the Northern Corridor.
He said upon completion, it will ease traffic congestion, reduce travel time, improve the efficient movement of cargo to and from the Port of Mombasa, and strengthen the Northern Corridor, supporting regional trade and economic growth.
He observed that the Northern Corridor, a key transport route in East and Central Africa, once plagued by setbacks is now evolving into a vital artery for mobility, trade, and economic revitalization.
The Northern Corridor includes the Port of Mombasa, the international road network, rail networks, inland waterways and pipeline transport.
The DG was accompanied by KeNHA Coast Regional Director Eng. Michael Orege, KeNHA Assistant Project Engineer Eng. Antony Omach and representatives of the project consultants and contractors, and members of the project teams.
Eng. Kimeli said the ongoing road projects across the country are strategic investments designed to unlock economic potential and improve connectivity.
The KeNHA top official also inspected the ongoing 29 KM Kwale – Kinango (B92) Road Project to assess construction progress and engage the project team on key implementation milestones.
He said all the infrastructure projects in Mombasa and Kwale counties traverse an area where fishing, agriculture, transport and tourism are the main economic activities and expressed optimism that the projects would help create new jobs, open up opportunities for traders and boost the local economies.
The inspection of the Sh3.07 billion Kwale – Kinango Road included stopovers at key sections of the corridor, including the River Marere Bridge, where the DG reviewed ongoing works and emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards of quality, safety, and timely project delivery.
He said once completed, the Kwale – Kinango Road will strengthen connectivity between Kwale County and the Nairobi–Mombasa (A8) Highway, improving access to markets and essential services while supporting trade, tourism, and socio-economic development across the coast region.
Earlier, the KeNHA DG visited the completed Sh40 billion Dongo Kundu Bypass, where he commended the quality of works and the project’s contribution to improving connectivity and easing traffic movement around Mombasa.
The Dongo Kundu bypass project is a Kenya Vision 2030 flagship infrastructure project that straddles Kwale and Mombasa counties and starts at Mteza Bridge and terminates at Kibundani along the Mombasa-Lungalunga highway.
The Dongo Kundu Bypass, also known as the Mombasa Southern Bypass Highway, is a 17.5-kilometer road connecting Miritini on the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway to Kibundani on the South Coast and was opened in August 2024.
The new bypass allows motorists to bypass Mombasa Island and avoids the Likoni Ferry and is an important transport corridor for traffic destined to and from Neighbouring Tanzania and that of the interior of Kenya and beyond.
During an inspection of key road projects in Mombasa and Kwale Eng. Kimeli noted that the multibillion shillings’ projects will enhance transportation, facilitate trade, and support long-term economic growth.
He said the inspection provided an opportunity to assess the pace and quality of ongoing construction while reaffirming the government’s commitment to delivering durable infrastructure nationwide.
He noted that expanding and modernizing the country’s road network remains central to improving mobility, attracting investment, and creating opportunities for businesses and communities to thrive.
Eng. Kimeli has expressed satisfaction with the quality and pace of work and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ending the era of abandoned and substandard infrastructure projects that have impeded national development in the past.
He stressed the need for contractors to adhere strictly to approved specifications, contractual obligations, and the KeNHA’s directives.
“Our priority is the delivery of durable, safe and fully serviced infrastructure that will serve Kenyans for posterity,” he said, adding that KeNHA desires to complete mega projects as quickly as possible to realize their full potential in supporting the national economy.
Eng. Kimeli said the roads and highways inspection in the coastal region is part of KeNHA’s nationwide monitoring tour aimed at assessing progress, addressing challenges, and ensuring timely completion of all ongoing projects.
By Hussein Abdullahi
