The Kenyan government is embarking on a significant infrastructure project to dual the Eldoret-Nairobi highway, a vital transportation artery, and expand the Eldoret International Airport to facilitate the efficient movement of goods and services in the region.
These developments aim to enhance trade and exports, offering a boon to the nation's economy.
Transport Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, announced the government's intention to dual the 320-kilometer Eldoret-Nairobi highway during a Horticulture industry stakeholders forum held in Eldoret town.
This move comes as a response to the increasing traffic congestion and delays in the transportation of goods along this crucial route.
"We have a challenge with the road between Eldoret and Nairobi as it cannot handle the high number of vehicles, lorries causing accidents and goods taking longer due to traffic. We are working hard to dual the road not only from Nairobi to Mau Summit but also Nairobi to Eldoret," stated Murkomen.
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This ambitious project aims to alleviate traffic congestion and facilitate the swift movement of goods and services along this strategic route that connects the Port of Mombasa to several landlocked countries, including Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Furthermore, the expansion of the Eldoret International Airport is in the government's sights, with plans to accommodate more flights and improve horticultural exports.
Murkomen noted that the airport is the second busiest in terms of cargo after Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, catering to cargo airlines such as Astral Aviation, Fly Emirates, and Ethiopia Airliner.
“Eldoret Airport is the second busiest airport in terms of cargo after the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. We plan to expand the runway to accommodate more heavy cargo planes for export markets,” Murkomen stated.
Murkomen outlined the expansion plans, which include acquiring an additional 50 acres to construct more facilities and expand the airport.
These developments will include more cold storage facilities and extending the runway by 4 kilometres to accommodate larger cargo planes.
"We plan to expand the runway to accommodate more heavy cargo planes for export markets," the CS stated.
The current runway can handle cargo planes with up to 55 metric tonnes, but the expansion will significantly increase the airport's capacity, reducing the need for cargo airlines to return empty due to a lack of adequate facilities.
In line with boosting exports, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi emphasized the government's commitment to finding international markets for Kenyan agricultural produce.
"This Sunday, we will flag off the first consignment of avocados to India. We will also engage the Israeli government on what we can export," Linturi said.
Additionally, Linturi urged farmers to scale up production to meet export demands and appealed to the Agricultural Food Authority (AFA) to enhance surveillance and enforcement to ensure that all agricultural produce meets the stringent requirements for export markets.
The government's dual highway and airport expansion initiatives signify a concerted effort to improve infrastructure and logistics, ultimately bolstering Kenya's trade capabilities and positioning the nation as a key player in the global market.
