Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja on Thursday, October 12, announced that project designs and feasibility runs for the Bus Rapid Transit on Jogoo Road and Valley Road will commence in December 2023.
In a statement, the Governor revealed that he held discussions with representatives of the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) and officials of the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (NaMATA) on the BRT plans.
According to him, the project named Kifaru Line (Line 4) will cover the stretch spanning Mama Lucy-Jogoo Road- CBD- Valley Road- Yaya Center- Kawangware- Kikuyu- Gitaru.
In the statement, Sakaja appreciated the support from AfDB and other players in delivering the project.
“Grateful for the support towards the development of Kifaru Line (Line 4) (spanning Mama Lucy- Jogoo rd- CBD – Valley Rd- Yaya Centre – Kawangware – Kikuyu- Gitaru). The project designs and west side feasibility commences this December,” he stated.
The Kifaru Line is one of the five corridors adopted by the government following a study on ways to harmonize transport in Nairobi.
According to the plans adopted by NaMATA, the Kifaru Line is designed to connect Mama Lucy and other estates in Nairobi’s Eastlands to the Kikuyu area.
Once the designs are finalized, the Kifaru Line will add to Thika Road’s Simba Line or Line 2 which has been under construction.
The BRT concept was adopted as part of the strategies to decongest transport within the Nairobi Metropolitan area and reduce pollution.
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Taking a cue from other countries that have already rolled out the BRT system, Kenya moved to lay ground for a similar system in efforts to ease transport network within the city.
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Besides reducing traffic congestion, the BRT is also poised to enhance reliability and efficiency of Nairobi’s public transport system.
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So far, the government has made progress in developing Line 2 named Chui which was the pilot for the five-phased project.
In September, President William Ruto announced a breakthrough in securing finances for the BRT project that has been under criticism from some quarters due to slow progress.
Partners including the European Union have vowed to support implementation of the project in a bid to revamp the city’s transport sector.
Moreover, Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced that the first phase would be ready for use by December 2024.
In addition to the BRT project, the government has also committed to implementing the planned Nairobi Railway City in plans to modernize Nairobi’s transport systems and in line with sustainability goals.
