Mombasa legacy projects ready in one month – CS
By Reuben.Mwambingu, June 27, 2022A section of the government’s legacy projects worth Sh37 billion will be commissioned by President Kenyatta next month, Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia has said.
The projects include the Changamwe interchange from Mombasa to Kwa Jomvu which is 95 per cent complete, and the historic Sh4.5 Makupa Bridge, which is 85 per cent done.
The Changamwe interchange which is replacing the old Changamwe roundabout comes with a modern bridge connecting the road from the airport, and will be complemented with multiple underpasses.
“We have been assured by the contractor that within one month, that project will be complete,” Macharia said after inspecting the projects over the weekend.
According to Macharia, the 457 metres long Makupa Bridge that now replaces the century-old-Makupa causeway will also be commissioned by President Kenyatta before the end of July.
“Once complete, the transformation will bolster the status of Mombasa as a tourism destination. Up to now, we are unable to market Mombasa as an island because of the causeway that discourages water from flowing around the Island of Mombasa,” the CS said in an interview at the bridge last week.
The Makupa Bridge was due for completion four months ago, but the need to shift some of the key utilities like power lines and pipelines delayed the project. One side of the bridge is however open for traffic.
The bridge will incorporate special lanes for the Bus Rapid Transport system (BRT) and non-motorized traffic whereby there will be dedicated lanes for bicycles, hand carts and pedestrians.
Mwache Bridge which is part of the Miritini-Kibundani road is currently 56 per cent complete.
According to Macharia, the Mwache Bridge is a major link to the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) which is intended to offer 200,000 employment slots for young people in Kenya.