﻿10 most Impressive Mega Construction Projects in Kenya 2021.
Kenya, the world’s 48th largest country in terms of surface area is among the leading construction
hub in Sub Saharan Africa. BMI Research shows that mega construction projects in Kenya will
help boost growth of the country’s construction industry by 8.7% from 2017 and remain steady up
until 2026. Here are some of the construction projects in Kenya that are under construction
and which will be instrumental in boosting the country’s economic outlook.
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10. Nairobi-Mombasa Highway expansion The two-lane Nairobi-Mombasa Highway is
being converted into a dual carriageway to address the increasing traffic congestion between Kenya’s
capital city Nairobi and the country’s major port city Mombasa. An estimated 95% of cargo from
the sea Port of Mombasa is transported via the Nairobi-Mombasa motorway. The project which forms
part of Kenya’s vision 2030 development program is maintained by the Kenyan national highway
authority through public-private partnership. The expansion project entails constructing an
additional two lanes along the existing highway and rehabilitation of the current lanes.
Construction was to begin in 2018 but was delayed and pushed to 2019. The project is
expected to be complete in 2024 and will be the country’s first high speed-express way.
This project will benefit the citizens in so many ways like reducing transport time
from 10 hours to just four hours if that isn’t an improvement I don’t know what more we could
possibly want and not only this, the project will generate approximately 500 construction jobs . The
project is expected to cost US $3bn. 9. Kenya Standard Gauge Railway
Kenya Railway Corporation is constructing a new standard gauge railway line for passengers and
cargo transportation between Mombasa, the largest east African port and Nairobi, the capital of
Kenya. Main construction began in December 2014 with China road and Bridge Corporation being the
main constructor. The railway line opened in 2017 and celebrated 1000 days of operation on
February 2020 completing phase one of the project which cost US $3.27 bn. During the second phase
an expansion from Nairobi to Naivasha was built which cost $1.5bn and was opened in October 2019.
The railway line is expected to move to Kisumu at a cost of US $3.7bn. This project has been
billed as one of the largest and most ambitious transport infrastructure projects in Africa.
8. Low cost housing plan
Late 2017, Kenya issued an expression of interest for the construction of
8,200 housing units on a 55-acre government land in Mavoko sub-county, Machakos County. Mavoko,
popularly known as Athi River is a fast growing industrial town located 25 kilometers south east
of Nairobi. Due to Mavako’s rapidly expanding industrial and manufacturing base many low
skilled workers are moving there making it one of the fastest growing municipalities in Kenya. 60
local and foreign contractors are racing to secure the job that seeks to address Kenya’s housing
problem especially in urban areas. Preference will be given to companies with a proven record of
implementing mass housing projects in Kenya and abroad within the shortest time possible under the
Engineering Procurement Contract (EPC) model will be considered. Under this model,
a firm funds development of a project to be paid upon completion once the government is satisfied
with the final product. This model will make sure the work is done with absolute dedication and
the houses re well-built and safe. 7. Mombasa port expansion (Phase 2)
It is one of the largest construction projects in Kenya currently under construction. The project
involves construction of the second phase of the second container terminal at the Mombasa port.
The work was scheduled to start in January 2018. In late 2017, Kenya Ports Authority
(KPA) secured a US $339m loan from the Japanese government to support the project.
Phase one was completed in September last year and has a handling capacity of 550,000 TEUs.
The second phase of the container will provide an additional capacity of 450,000 Twenty-Foot
Equivalent Units (TEUs). Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia announced in September,
2019 that the project was 33 per cent complete. 6. Ngong road expansion project
Japanese firm World Kaihatsu Kogyo upgraded the stretch between Kenya National Library
and Prestige Plaza to a dual carriageway, the first phase of the road expansion plan
which cost Sh1.3 billion. It was completed on December 17, 2017.
Phase 2 covers four kilometres and starts from Prestige Plaza to Dagoretti Corner.It
was concluded on April 30 this year by the same Japanese contractors at a cost of Sh2 billion.
Phase 3 is set to be completed in July 2020. It is a stretch spanning Dagoretti corner to
Karen Shopping Centre. The road is expected to have five footbridges and five lanes,
with walkways and cycle tracks on both sides. The stretch is being constructed by the China Qinjian
at a cost of Sh2 billion. 5. Lamu-Isiolo Road
The Lamu Isiolo Road is part of Lapsset corridor highway project. Construction of the 537-kilometre
Lamu-Garissa-Isiolo is one of the biggest construction projects underway in Kenya completion
has been set for 2022.The project will cost Sh62 billion. The road starts in the port city of
Lamu and proceeds in a northwesterly direction through the town of Bura, Tana River County,
(not to be confused with Bura, Garissa County and continue on to the town of Garissa. At Garissa,
the road continues its northwesterly direction to Mado Gashi. Here it takes a southwesterly
direction through Garba Tula, to end at Isiolo, a total distance of approximately 580 kilometres.
4. Tatu City
Tatu City is a 5,000-acre, mixed-use development with homes, schools, offices, a shopping district,
medical clinics, nature areas, a sport & entertainment complex and manufacturing area
for more than 150,000 residents and tens of thousands of day visitors. Schools and businesses
are already open at Tatu City, and a range of houses are under construction to suit all incomes.
Tatu City represents a new way of living and thinking for all Kenyans, creating a unique live,
work and play environment that is free from traffic congestion and long-distance commuting.
Tatu City’s Special Economic Zone status provides reduced corporate taxes,
customs and excise duty exemptions, VAT benefits, profit and capital repatriation at reduced rates,
as well as enhanced intellectual property rights, among other benefits.
3. LAPSSET Corridor Program
The LAPSSET Corridor Program is Eastern Africa’s largest and most ambitious infrastructure project
bringing together Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan. This mega project consists of seven key
infrastructure projects starting with a new 32 Berth port at Lamu (Kenya);
Interregional Highways from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Juba (South Sudan), Isiolo to Addis
Ababa (Ethiopia), and Lamu to Garsen (Kenya), Crude Oil Pipeline from Lamu to Isiolo,
Isiolo to Juba; Product Oil Pipeline from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Addis Ababa; Interregional
Standard Gauge Railway lines from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Juba, Isiolo to Addis Ababa,
and Nairobi to Isiolo; 3 International Airports: one each at Lamu, Isiolo, and Lake Turkana;
3 Resort Cities: one each at Lamu, Isiolo and Lake Turkana; and The multipurpose High Grand
Falls Dam along the Tana River. LAPSSET Corridor is one of the biggest construction projects
in Kenya under construction and its total cost is approximated to be over US $13bn.
2. Konza Technopolis
Konza Technopolis, previously called Konza Technology City, is a large technology hub
planned by the Government of Kenya to be built 64 km south of the capital Nairobi on the way to the
port city of Mombasa. Konza Technopolis is a smart city project that is coming up in the Eastern
part of the country. The project is part of the country’s Vision 2030 blueprint and expected to
generate about 17,000 direct high-value jobs, and a further 68,000 indirect jobs once completed. The
project is modelled around the US Silicon Valley hence the moniker “African Silicon Savanna”.
It targets business process outsourcing, software development, data centres, disaster recovery
centres, call centres, light manufacturing industries, and research institutions.
The project is marketed as a key driver of Kenya’s national development plan, known as Kenya Vision
2030. It is estimated to cost 1.2 trillion Kenyan shillings (approx US$14.5bn). According to the
government of Kenya, Konza Technopolis will be a world-class city, powered by thriving information,
communications and technology (ICT) sector, superior reliable infrastructure and business
friendly governance systems. 1. Malindi–Bagamoyo Highway
The Malindi–Bagamoyo Highway also known as Coastline Transnational Highway is a road
in Kenya and Tanzania, connecting the cities of Malindi and Mombasa in Kenya to Tanga and Bagamoyo
in Tanzania. The road starts at Malindi, Kenya and makes its way southwards for 110 kilometres
to Mombasa, with this portion of the road designated officially as part of route B8,
a national trunk road. The road then continues south for 106 kilometres through the town of
Lunga Lunga and onward to the nearby border with Tanzania, with this portion of the road designated
officially as the entirety of route A14, an international trunk road.The total distance within
Kenya is approximately 216 kilometres. In Tanzania
From the border, the road will continue to Tanga, then on through Pangani before bypassing
the Saadani National Parkand ending at Bagamoyo. The road contract distance is 460 kilometres (286
mi).As of March 2019; this road in Tanzania was at the tendering stage. Construction work
on the US $751.3m Kenya-Tanzania Highway is set to begin in 2018.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is currently looking for financial partners capable of
investing US $385.2m towards the construction of the highway connecting Kenya and Tanzania.