KWS allows bypass to cut through Nairobi National Park

The Ministry of Transport and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) have struck a deal to hive off about 53 acres of land from the Nairobi National Park to give room for completion of the Nairobi Southern Bypass.

Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has received the green light despite opposition from conservationists.

The authority on Friday signed an agreement with the KWS allowing a section of the road in the park.

Transport Permanent Secretary John Mosonik said the Government is concerned about the delay in completing the Southern bypass project.

The PS said the stretch from Ole Sereni Hotel, through Lang’ata to Kikuyu covering 28kms had lagged for over six months. The deal will affect 53 acres of park land. It also emerged that KeNHA will set aside a Sh3.5 billion endowment fund to cater for any damages that may arise as a result of human-wildlife conflict.

He reckons the overall project of the Nairobi Southern By-pass funded through China Exim Bank is estimated to cost Sh17 billion, as per the contract issued by Kenha.

“A seven-month delay could have attracted claims, but now Kenyans will benefit from the road section, with all pending land issues on the Nairobi National Park now resolved,” he said. The section is now expected to be completed by 2016. The road is expected to ease congestion and traffic along the busy Mombasa Road.

The PS added that in the next two to three years, most road projects in the country will be done. He said these road projects are currently 85 per cent complete. KeNHA Director General Peter Mundinia thanked Kenya Wildlife Service for allowing the road to pass through the park.

“We have put safety measures in place to minimise human-wildlife conflict,” he said.

“We shall work with KWS to move animals far from the construction site,” said Mundinia who also pointed out that the National Environment Management Authority impact assessment report has since given the project a clean bill of health. The KWS board of trustees said they had issued 53 acres of land to KeNHA to allow for road construction.

“We know human beings and animals have to co-exist. This makes it easy for KeNHA to build the road. We have given out this land. It has been tough negotiations,” a representative of the KWS board said.