Artistic impression of the proposed underground train system
* Seeking a long-term solution to Nairobi’s traffic congestion whose first phase will cost US$7.78 billion
* The project will be funded by the Kenyan government, pension funds and transport-oriented development initiatives
Maravi Express
Kenya’s government cabinet is reported to have approved an ambitious plan to construct an underground railway system — seeking a long-term solution to ease the capital Nairobi’s traffic congestion.
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According to the online, Kenya.co.ke, the first phase of the project — to cost US$7.78 billion — will run beneath Nairobi’s central business district (CBD) connecting key commuter routes in the capital.
The report indicates that Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja unveiled this development when he appeared before the country’s Senate National Security Committee on Thursday, July 23.
He reported that the cabinet approved the plans brought before it by Nairobi Mass Rapid Transit System (NMRTS) — to be funded by the Kenyan government, pension funds and transport-oriented development initiatives.
Additional funding will be raised through land value capture, where increased land value around transport corridors is used to support infrastructure development.
Nairobi, whose city road network infrastructure is funded through massive toll gates
“By integrating an underground CBD core with high-capacity links to Eastlands, we will unlock Nairobi’s economic potential, lower the cost of transport and build a cleaner, greener and world-class city,” Sakaja reported to the Senate.
Plans for a metro system, Sakaja said, date back to 1948 when Nairobi planners proposed a ring railway and CBD rail links and similar proposals were later included in the 1972 Nairobi Metropolitan Growth Strategy and the 2014 Nairobi Integrated Urban Development Plan — but were never implemented.
Feasibility studies were carried in partnership with international partners, including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which provided a foundation for the project.
Kenya’s open rail transport network
The Governor further reported that the proposed metro system will be integrated with other transport modes, including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines and non-motorised transport networks, as part of efforts to create a more efficient urban transport system.
Kenya is a hot tourism destination country, which is universally recognised as the birthplace of the modern game reserves safari, offering premier wildlife viewing, diverse landscapes, and a rich cultural heritage.
From the massive savannahs of the Great Rift Valley — hosting the great Maasai Mara National Reserve — to the white sandy beaches of the Indian Ocean, it caters to wildlife enthusiasts, beachgoers, and adventure seekers alike from around the globe.
The globally famous Serengeti wildebeest migration
Kenya shares the Serengeti National Park, which is entirely located in Tanzania but directly borders Kenya and shares a seamless ecological boundary with the famous Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Together, they form the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, home to the iconic Great Wildebeest Migration.
Because they share a border, combining Kenya tourism with a Serengeti safari is one of Africa’s most popular bucket-list trips — thus making it the most popular tourism destination across Africa.—Reporting by Kenya.co.ke; editing by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
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