Thread by @mmnjug

Thousands of traders and businesses in northern Kenya are upbeat ahead of the construction of a 740-km Isiolo-Mandera highway that’s expected to boost security and open up the region to trade. - @NationAfrica

The Sh83.7B road will traverse Isiolo, Meru, Wajir, Garissa and Mandera counties, which are prone to terrorism, banditry and contraband. The route is notorious for smuggling of arms, drugs, human trafficking. Its poor condition makes it difficult for security agencies to patrol.

Once complete, the road will cut travel time from Isiolo to Mandera from 96 to 12 hours and reduce vehicle operating costs as well as cut cost of commodities. For instance, while a bag of cement costs Sh500 in Nairobi, in Mandera it retails at over Sh1,000 due to transport costs.

A 740-km fibre optic cable will also be laid from Isiolo to Mandera. The project will provide 3,000 direct jobs during construction and indirectly through food supplies and sub-contracting.

Dubbed the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project #HoAGDP, it’s part of the #Vision2030's @lapsset corridor in which Isiolo is to be transformed into a resort city. Besides @KeNHAKenya , other agencies involved are @ICTAuthorityKE @ntsa_kenya @KRACare.

On Monday, the World Bank, the lead financier, launched the project in Isiolo with leaders from northern Kenya saying the road will be their “savour” after decades of marginalisation.

Present were governors :

Mohamed Kuti - Isiolo
Kiraitu Murungi - Meru
Mohamoud Ali - Marsabit
Ahmed Ali Muktar - Wajir
Ali Roba - Mandera

eputy governors:

Abdi Dagane - Garissa
Peter Emuria - Turkana

The World Bank said the road was part of a grand plan to open up the northern region alongside other projects, which will cost Kes110. Other financing partners include the African Development Bank (AfDB) and a Consortium of five Arab lenders.

Two new bridges will be constructed in Rhamu and Mandera as well as in One-Stop Border posts in the two towns. Mandera borders Ethiopia to the north and Somalia to the east.

The project has been divided into six sections, with funding for the first 190 kilometre section between Isiolo and Modogashe via Kulamawe already secured, @KeNHAKenya director-general Mr Kung’u Ndung’u said.

Award of contracts for Isiolo-Kulamawe and Kulamawe-Modogashe is expected in three weeks with ground-breaking for building of that section expected in January.

Preparations for other sections is ongoing and it is expected that the entire road to Mandera will be completed in the next five to six years.

World Bank representative Josphat Sassia said with completion of the project, the region will get lasting benefits by expanding access to livestock markets.

This is the first project the World Bank is financing in northern Kenya. This project will also support livelihoods of host communities through provision of public services and construction of complementary socio-economic infrastructure.

The University of Nairobi will coordinate social welfare programmes to ensure the projects benefit the community.

Mr Kuti hailed the project as a big step towards transforming the region and urged residents to cooperate with agencies to actualise it, noting that the Isiolo-Moyale road had eased movement to the Ethiopia border.

Mr Murungi, whose county will host 72 kilometres of the new road, said Meru would immensely benefit from the project since it would be easy to transport farm produce to Mandera.

Last year, @KeNHAKenya signed a memorandum of understanding with the counties through which the road traverses in which the devolved units agreed to waive cess for construction materials and free movement of labour “in the spirit of development of the road corridor”.

Long overdue: The Great North Road is from Isiolo to Mandera covering 740km and will take 6yrs to build and cost Kes83B bit.ly/3ol0KRA by @NationAfrica