Construction plans for a 470-kilometre road along the shores of Lake Victoria have raised hope in the region that it will stimulate the local economy. The design of the Sh70 billion road running from Bumala on the Busia border with Uganda to Muhuru Bay on the Migori border with Tanzania is complete and has been approved.
The road will meander its way through Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori. Once the Government receives a report detailing the number of people to be displaced by the road, the National Land Commission (NLC) is expected to do a valuation and compile a register for compensation as the Government scouts for funds from development agencies such as the World Bank or the African Development Bank.
What Sh70b Lake Victoria ring road mean for Western Kenya economy :: Kenya – https://t.co/BTsCwQ0xpW
— Kenyan Digest (@kenyan_digest) October 17, 2018
The Government is rooting for one-off funding to have the phases run concurrently, highly placed sources intimated. In a visit to the region later this month, President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to highlight the project mooted three years ago as part of the Jubilee government flagship projects. The road will pass through Siaya, Kisumu and Homa Bay counties.
It is expected to accelerate free flow of goods and services across five counties while providing connectivity to the rest of the country’s national road network, hence spurring economic growth. It could also catapult the western Kenya tourism circuit onto the global tourism map since it extends access to destinations such as Rusinga Island, Ndere Island National Park, Kit Mikayi and key historic attractions across the region.
Bondo MP, Gideon Ochanda is urging the national treasury to move with speed to secure funds for the development of the Lake Victoria ring road#KTNNewsDesk pic.twitter.com/R7H2aZfVoI
— KTN News (@KTNNews) October 3, 2018
A design seen below shows the project, to be undertaken by at least six contractors, will run very close to the lake, passing through major beaches such as Sio Port and Port Victoria in Busia; Usenge, Uhanya, and Asembo in Siaya, and Kaloka, Paga and Dunga in Kisumu. Paga beach has been identified as the location for the proposed Sh13.7 billion new Kisumu port, to be built as an extension of the Standard Gauge Railway to Kisumu. The road is, therefore, likely to play a crucial role in the revival of maritime trade on Lake Victoria.
From the Kisumu port, the road will run along the lake to Korando, near the Kisumu International Airport, from where it will branch off and lead into the Kisumu-Busia highway at Otonglo market. Sources who declined to be named because they are not authorised to speak to the media explained that due to the swampy nature of the Nyando plains, from Kisumu town the road will follow the established Kisumu-Nairobi road, branching off at Ahero town towards Katito.
Here it will veer off the road leading to Kendu Bay, heading back towards Homa Hills along the shores and again to the Kendu Bay pier and stretch to Bay town.
Sh41.6b ring road to be built along the shores of Lake Victoria, from Busia to Migori https://t.co/QEeSnVsgv2 via @StandardKenya
— steve arodi (@stevearodi) November 3, 2017
“The proposed Lake Victoria Ring Road … is expected to accelerate free flow of goods and services across 5counties while providing connectivity to Uganda through Busia Border and Tanzania through Migori” pic.twitter.com/9SuUoiUSko
— Patrick Were (@were_pat) October 18, 2018
[BUSINESS] What Sh70 billion road plan would mean for Western region: President Uhuru Kenyatta expected this month to highlight ring mooted three years ago as part of Jubilee flagship projects. https://t.co/6eomapckB1
— Breaking News (@News_Kenya) October 18, 2018