Africa-Press – Kenya. President Uhuru Kenyatta had an eventful 2020. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, he still made time to launch a number of multi-billion projects.
With the president’s term coming to an end in 2022, the government has been fast-tracking projects to be completed before Uhuru exits his second and final term.
2020 saw some of the projects launched by the President after millions of shillings were pumped into them.
Nairobi Commuter Train (Ksh1.15 Billion)
The Ministry of Transport signed the Ksh1.15 Billion deal agreement with Spanish firm Mallorcan Railway Services (SFM) to acquire 11 DMUs, five coaches and spare parts.
The project was launched by Uhuru on November 10 with the service targeting to serve up to 230,000 passengers daily.
The new DMUs will serve 10 routes among them the Nairobi–Limuru line, Nairobi–Thika line, Nairobi–Lukenya line, Nairobi–JKIA line, Nairobi- Embakasi village line, Nairobi- Ngong line.
Liwatoni Bridge (Ksh1.9 Billion)
Another project launched by Uhuru was the Liwatoni bridge in Mombasa on 10th December 2020 at the cost of Ksh1.9 Billion.
The 1.2 kilometre Liwatoni Pedestrian Floating Bridge in Mombasa is the first of its kind in the region and is designed to ease pressure on the Likoni ferry crossing by taking up most of the foot traffic.
The bridge that will begin operations in January 2021 will allow the ferries to serve vehicular and cargo crossing between Mombasa Island and the South Coast.
Moyale Border (Ksh800 Million)
Uhuru finally launched the Moyale One Stop border station after construction was completed in 2018 at a cost of over Ksh800 Million after tensions at the border led to the postponement of the launch.
The president launched the project alongside his Ethiopian counterpart Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in an effort to boost economic ties between Kenya and her northern landlocked neighbour.
The border post is part of the planned Mombasa-Nairobi-Addis Ababa corridor linked by the 502-kilometre Hawassa-Moyale road project in Ethiopia, and the Isiolo-Moyale road in Kenya.
School Desks Project (Ksh1.9 Billion)
Before the partial reopening of schools in October, Uhuru in September launched the Ksh1.9 billion school furniture project that will see artisans supply 650,000 locally assembled desks.
The project was however marred by alleged scandals as Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha put on notice ministry officials at the grassroots over diverting the deliveries and taking the desks elsewhere.
The artisans who supplied desks to primary and secondary schools in November decried delayed payments from the government a month after they fulfilled their end of the deal.
Naivasha-Njabini Road (Ksh1.8 Billion)
One of the first projects launched by the President this year was the upgrading of the 32-kilometre earth road to bitumen standard which is expected to be complete by August 2022.
Uhuru noted that the new road will enhance the smooth movement of the food-rich region to ready markets.
The new road will help reduce travel time between Nakuru and Nyandarua counties.
