Editor's Review

China Exim Bank has indicated the bid will help build a Traffic Management Center (TMC) Advanced traffic management system, Traffic Signal Control, Traffic Video Surveillance, and Traffic Violation Detection.

China Exim Bank which funded the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has approached President William Ruto's administration for a major project involving the revamping of the road system in Nairobi.

In a tender notice published on MyGov on Tuesday, February 6, the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) revealed that China Exim Bank had expressed intent to undertake the project aimed at establishing the Nairobi Intelligent Transport System.

The China Exim Bank in its bid indicated that it was ready to facilitate the project by offering a loan to the country.

"The government of the Republic of Kenya has received an Intent for Financing from the China EXIM Bank of the Peoples Republic of China and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this loan to payments under the contract for Design and Build for the Nairobi ITS Establishment and Junction Improvement Project," the notice read in part.

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File image of traffic jam on Thika Superhighway. PHOTO | COURTESY

The scope of the project involves detailed engineering design and Civil Works which entail intersection geometry and structural improvement and rehabilitation for 125 Intersections.

Additionally, China Exim Bank has indicated the bid will help build Traffic Management Center (TMC) Advanced traffic management system, Traffic Signal Control, Traffic Video Surveillance, Traffic Violation Detection, Intelligent Checkpoint, Traffic Guidance System, Traffic Flow Collection Sites, Communications Network Connection and Integrated Site Power.

In the bid, China Exim Bank noted that it will manage the project while training Kenyans before handing it over to the government in a similar way done with SGR and the Nairobi Expressway.

"It is envisaged that the Contract Period will be for a duration of Seventy-Two (72) Months. Thirty (36) Months for Design and Build and 36 Months for operation and maintenance," KURA indicated.

However, KURA has invited other bidders interested to be involved in the smart project which is touted to change the face of Nairobi and bolster traffic enforcement.

Exim Bank of China funded about 90 percent of Ksh566. 12 billion Kenya spent on building the nearly 700 kilometres of the SGR from the port city of Mombasa to Suswa near Naivasha.

The project is viewed as a game-changer that revolutionised transport in the country enabling mass movement of passengers and cargo.