The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has started the search for a firm which will audit the construction of the Nairobi Expressway Project.
The Sh60 billion road project, starting at Mlolongo to James Gichuru Road in Westlands, broke ground in October last year.
It is expected to be completed in December 2022. The China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) will construct the 27-kilometre road under a public-private partnership.
KeNHA is now looking for a consultant who will act as an independent expert for the project. The consultant is expected to review plans by CRBC, inspect and monitor progress of construction works and eventually conduct tests on the road before issuing a certificate of completion. The highways authority yesterday said it requires the services of a consulting firm to act as an independent expert for the Nairobi Expressway project being implemented as a Privately Initiated Investment Project under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework.
Recoup investment
The agency noted that the firm that will be selected will assist the parties in the management of the implementation of the project agreement signed between KeNHA and CRBC.
CRBC will build the road under a PPP arrangement where in addition to doing the design, sourcing for financing and undertaking construction work, it will operate the road for 27 years to recoup its investment through collection of road tolls.
It is the first major road project that is being undertaken through such a model. “The Nairobi Expressway will bring much needed relief to the traffic congestion in Nairobi. It will significantly reduce time spent on the road from two hours at rush hour to 10 to 15 minutes,” said KeNHA Director General Peter Mundinia.
There has been uproar in the past when the government proposed to put up toll stations on roads, many feel that the taxes they pay should take care of construction and maintenance costs.
