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Projections showed that the number of cars getting into the East Africa region is expected to grow progressively. PHOTO | FILE
By Annie Njanja
In Summary
- A total of 157,856 motor vehicles were discharged in 2014 compared to 136,915 units cleared the previous year.
Authorities in Nairobi, Kampala, and Kigali are
caught in a race to expand key road infrastructure following an upsurge
in vehicle traffic.
The traffic woes around East African capital cities reflect the high number of vehicles cleared at the Port of Mombasa which has grown sharply over the years, piling pressure on governments in the region to expand existing infrastructure facilities.
A total of 157,856 motor vehicles were discharged in 2014 compared to 136,915 units cleared the previous year, an increase of 20,941, statistics by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) showed.
In 2012, 120,268 units were cleared at the Mombasa port, which also serves landlocked countries like Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. Tanzania does most of its importations through the Dar es Saalam port.
Projections showed that the number of cars getting into the East Africa region is expected to grow progressively. The growing number of vehicles getting into the region and using the roads has put pressure on the existing infrastructure, necessitating the expansion of road networks in major cities.
The need for more roads is independent of the developing EAC railway project and the expanding of Eastern and Northern Corridors.
The traffic woes around East African capital cities reflect the high number of vehicles cleared at the Port of Mombasa which has grown sharply over the years, piling pressure on governments in the region to expand existing infrastructure facilities.
A total of 157,856 motor vehicles were discharged in 2014 compared to 136,915 units cleared the previous year, an increase of 20,941, statistics by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) showed.
In 2012, 120,268 units were cleared at the Mombasa port, which also serves landlocked countries like Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. Tanzania does most of its importations through the Dar es Saalam port.
Projections showed that the number of cars getting into the East Africa region is expected to grow progressively. The growing number of vehicles getting into the region and using the roads has put pressure on the existing infrastructure, necessitating the expansion of road networks in major cities.
The need for more roads is independent of the developing EAC railway project and the expanding of Eastern and Northern Corridors.
The expansion of roads will ensure the number of vehicles
getting into the region will not cram the existing roads, which were
previously designed to accommodate fewer units.
After the expansion of Thika road and building of
Eastern, Southern and Northern bypass, the Kenyan government has also
embarked on the expansion of road networks within the city, Kenya
National Highways Authority (Kenha) recently announced.
Plans are underway to expand the Karen- Bomas and
Karen-Kikuyu roads to improve traffic flow in Nairobi, because the
congestion on the Ngong and Lang’ata roads spills into the Central
Business District (CBD).
There are also plans to construct a 12.3 kilometres
dual road crossing the CBD, a move expected to ease Nairobi’s heavy
traffic jam, which the governments says costs the city Sh50 million a
day in lost productivity.
Kenya Roads Urban Authority (Kura), which is
charged with the mandate of managing, developing and maintaining all
public roads in cities and towns in the country, has been instrumental
in ensuring that the road network is expanded too. Several multi-billion
shilling projects are underway and include the rehabilitation of road
networks in Upperhill, Eastleigh, Voi and Eldoret.
The Ugandan government has also been working on its
road networks in a bid to decongest Entebbe City and to open up other
parts of the country.
Current statistics indicate that Entebbe Road
carries the highest number of vehicles in Uganda every day, at 51,834,
followed by Jinja Road, which serves 42,857 units.
Uganda is working to expand the Northern Bypass
into a dual carriage way, a move the Uganda National Roads Authority
says move will help decongest the city by elimination of roundabouts.
The bypass will connect motorists using Entebbe
Express Highway to the city centre while a road in Kalerwe will be used
by those using Entebbe Express Highway into the city.
The Northern Bypass will run through Bweyogerere,
Kireka, Naalya, Kiwatule, Kigoowa, Bukoto, Mulago, Makerere, Bwaise,
Kawaala, Namungoona and Busega.
The Southern Bypass, whose construction is yet to
start, will cover 17 kilometre and will connect the Kampala-Jinja
highway and the Kamplala-Entebbe highways, further reducing traffic jams
in the city.
The country has also improved its road networks in
rural areas. For instance, the 103 kilometre Portal-Lamia road was
opened for use last month while construction of the 82 kilometre stretch
between Malaba and Bugiri is nearing completion.
Expansion of roads in Rwanda is primarily aimed at
positioning the country as an investment destination, unlike Kenya and
Uganda whose main mission is to clear the traffic mess that hits the two
capital cities every day.
Rwanda’s traffic congestion is yet to exceed
international limits, but current trends indicate that more vehicles are
getting into the roads forcing the government to rework existing
infrastructure. The country has also embarked on road network expansion.
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