Kura to build 15km road to Lamu headquarters in Mokowe

Lamu Governor Issa Timamy (left) with Kura officials at his residence in Lamu Island on March 20, 2017. Kura announced it will build a 15km road that will ease access to the Lamu County headquarters in Mokowe. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • There is no other county in Kenya which has such a big project within an urban area.
  • Mr Kinoti said procurement procedures for the road project are in the final stages.
  • Governor Timamy said the road will be a game changer in economic and social development.

The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) will construct a 15-kilometre road that will ease access to the Lamu County headquarters in Mokowe, Lamu West.

Kura Acting Director General Silas Kinoti has said building of the Sh1.2 billion road will begin in the next two or three months.

Addressing journalists shortly after meeting Governor Issa Timamy at his residence in Lamu Island on Monday, Mr Kinoti said procurement procedures for the road project are in the final stages.

He said apart from Lamu, there is no other county in Kenya which has such a big project within an urban area.

“Kura is just concerned with the development of marginalised routes in all urban areas. Currently, we are focusing on county headquarters.

“Once we have a road of such magnitude in an urban area, we believe it will make a lot of difference not only at the Mokowe county headquarters but [also] Mokowe trading centre will be greatly transformed,” said Mr Kinoti.

COMPLETE IN 3 YEARS

He said the project is expected to be completed in the next two to three years.

Ms Lucy Mathenge, a director at Kura who was also the team leader during the one day tour of Lamu County, said they also intend to sponsor 10 youth from Lamu for training to enable them get employment once the building of the road begins.

“Our objective is also to assist the Lamu community. That is why we also intend to train 10 youth on road construction so that once they get the skills, they can be employed during construction of the 15-kilometre road,” she said.

She said they had also requested the county government of Lamu to offer them office space and a space for building a children’s park.

“We want to train the children at their young ages to enable them manage traffic. These are just [some] of the initiatives or the goodies that Kura has for this region,” said Ms Mathenge.

GAME CHANGER

Governor Timamy thanked Kura for choosing to construct the 15-kilometre road at Mokowe.

He said the road will act as a game changer for Lamu in terms of economic and social development.

He said his administration will cooperate with Kura to ensure the project succeeds.

“On behalf of the county government and the people of Lamu, I want to sincerely thank Kura for this project that they are going to undertake.

“Just the other day, President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the Sh10.8 billion 135-kilometre Lamu-Witu-Garsen hyighway which is the main [link] of Lamu and other parts of the country.

“I am very happy that many good things are happening in Lamu. I can confidently say that Lamu County is a county of the future and that future is now and not the further ahead.

“I want to assure you that as county government, we shall fully cooperate with you and we shall do all that is within our power to make sure the project you intend to undertake in Lamu will be undertaken successfully,” said Mr Timamy.