Spanish company Centunion finance KURA Sh3.2billion to construct Ngong Road/Naivasha Road Interchange

The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) has today signed a concessional loan worth Sh3.2billion financed by a Spanish based company for the construction of the Ngong Road/Naivasha Road Interchange.

According to KURA, the turnkey project is intended to enhance provision of effective urban infrastructure and increase traffic mobility on the busy Ngong Road which has been dualled up to Karen shopping centre.

The event was witnessed by Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Infrastructure Principal Secretary Joseph Mungai Mbugua and Centunion company director General Felipe Canet.

Murkomen said that the project will go a long way to alleviate the traffic grid lock experienced along Ngong Road.

“A concessionary loan at 0.01 interest rate for a repayment period of 35 years is indeed a huge boost to our country especially now that we have great budgetary constraints. I have seen the excellent work Centunion company has done to improve T-Mall junction and the construction of 5 footbridges along Mbagathi way and Langata Road. I look forward to the commencing of the project,” Murkomen said.

Felipe assured a steadfast job as soon as all preliminary approvals are received.

Centunion is a Spanish general contractor enterprise that uses the most advanced technologies and processes in the design, manufacture, and supply of steel structures, specialising in the execution of steel bridges and viaducts.

KURA Director General Silas Kinoti expressed his desire to see all urban areas served with interchanges to reduce traffic conflicts saying grid separations is key to an enhanced urban mobility.

He said the project will improve the efficiency of Ngong Road and also help improve on safety.

The Ngong-Naivasha Road Interchange project was initially scheduled for completion in 2019 but failed after the contractor encountered challenges in moving water and power lines as well as dealing with furniture traders who had invaded the road.

In December 2022, PS Mbugua announced that the review of road designs in the country had gathered steam with the 4.2-kilometre Langata Road-Ngong’ Road link highway taking priority.

In 2019, KURA signed a Sh13.2billion deal for construction of roads along the western and the central regions of the country, covering a stretch of 80km.

Two Public Private Partnerships with a consortium of Lee Construction Limited, Cape Construction and Mota-Engil Africa will enable the construction and maintenance of roads across ten counties for the next ten years.

The deal would see two Public Private Partnerships with a consortium of Lee Construction Limited, Cape Construction and Mota-Engil Africa enable the construction and maintenance of roads across ten counties for the next ten years.

Under the deal were Riamukurwe-Gatitu road in Nyeri County, Kanjuki-Mauktano road in Tharaka-Nithi and the Busia-Alupe bypass in Western Kenya.

In February 15, 2021, KURA signed a Sh16 billion contract with South Korea Export-Import Bank to implement the construction of the Traffic Management Centre and connect 102 junctions.

He said the agency is also automating traffic signals in 102 junctions across the country and making them intelligent.