US, Kenya to Consult Further on Nairobi-Mombasa Superhighway

Kenya and the United States have agreed to consult further on the  Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway project that links Nairobi and Mombasa.

In a statement after President Uhuru Kenyatta met President Donald Trump on Monday committed to expanding their economic cooperation aimed at making their nations stronger and their citizens more prosperous.

“Both sides agreed to undertake further consultations to conclude the terms of the financing agreement,” the White House said in a statement.

The two in recognition of the importance of high-quality infrastructure welcomed the proposal by the United States engineering and construction firm Bechtel Corporation to build a modern superhighway from Nairobi to Mombasa.

In August 2017, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) formally signed a commercial agreement with Messer Bechtel International Inc for the construction of the 473 km Nairobi- Mombasa (A8) expressway.

Messer Bechtel International Inc, of San Francisco, was selected to build the first high-speed expressway in the country.

The 473-km route will vastly improve the connectivity, efficiency and safety of road transport between Nairobi and the country’s main seaport of Mombasa.

“The expressway is a motorway with controlled access designed for consistent speeds of 120 kph and will reduce the journey from over 10 hours to approximately four hours,” said Engineer peter Mundinia in a statement.

“It will enable Kenya to competitively develop and expand internal and regional trade.”