CONTRACTOR FOR MOMBASA BYPASS GETS READY TO START DIGGING
(Posted 22nd May 2015)
The Kenyan government yesterday finally launched the decades old project of a bypass from Mombasa to the South Coast, when the contractors were handed the site and put in a position to mobilized manpower and equipment to begin construction of the first of three sections.
The South Coast, until now, depended on the bottleneck of the Likoni ferry crossing, or else a miserable rough track purporting to be a road, which branches off the main Nairobi to Mombasa highway to reach Kwale before joining the Mombasa to Lunga Lunga road.
The construction, which is according to a regular Mombasa based source, now due to formally launch in the space of a few weeks, will cover the stretch from Miritini to Kipevu, some 10 kilometres of new road from the existing highway to the port boundary.
The second portion of the new bypass will then link the Moi International Airport to the new route and involve several bridges where the new road will cross over creeks and wetlands to Dongo Kundu, from which the project drew its name. Once complete will the third and final section go under construction to the village of Kibundani where the new bypass will then join the main road to Ukunda – the turn off to the award winning Diani beaches – and on to the Tanzanian border at Lunga Lunga.
Wrote the source when confirming the handover yesterday evening: ‘Lets just hope there is no one now coming to sue or make new legal claims over land. It took the central government only 30 years since the coast province leadership back then proposed the bypass and we cannot tolerate any more delays. Of course some will argue from Mombasa to Lunga Lunga that the new road will have limited effect on the tourism situation but those have no clue. The resorts and tour operators had so much trouble with the ferry over the years it is beyond belief. From missed flights to several hours before reaching the resorts, that was unacceptable. When the new road is ready tourists can reach from the airport to Diani very fast, cutting by our estimate about one and a half to two hours off the journey time. Most of that was of course waiting to reach the ferry but also the traffic on both sides. Tourists will be able to completely avoid Likoni which we all know is a trouble spot on so many fronts. And those from upcountry coming for a holiday to the South coast can completely bypass Mombasa and head directly to Ukunda. Had it not been for vote seeking ministers and presidents stuffing their constituencies upcountry with roads and infrastructure, we would never have been in that bad position as tourism is now. The coast was simply neglected for too long. Next up must be the second bridge or bypass to the North coast and the promised convention centre!’.
It is understood that the coast tourism industry broadly and warmly welcomed the news and, like everyone else, is now waiting for the ground breaking ceremony to take place. Watch this space.
