NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 9 – The European Union and the Government of Kenya have jointly launched the Rural Roads Rehabilitation Project that aims to rehabilitate more than 1,000 km of rural roads in tea and coffee producing areas.
The initial Sh2 billion will improve 101 kilometres of rural roads to tarmac in Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Meru, Machakos and Makueni using Low Volume Sealed Road (LVSR) technology.
The European Union has invested Sh1.4 billion in the project with Sh600 million provided by the Kenyan Government.
President Uhuru Kenyatta officially launched the project in Nunguni, Makueni, where the Katua – Kee – Nunguni Road Project phase is underway.
EU Ambassador Stefano Dejak said the roads selected will help improve Kenyan livelihoods and spread sustainable prosperity.
“The importance of rural roads especially in agriculture, Kenya’s mainstay, cannot be underscored enough. Rural roads form the bulk of the road network and interconnect vital sectors of the economy within and outside the rural areas, facilitating social exchange and mobility and linking rural areas to higher class roads,” Dejak said.
The project, which is managed by Kenya Rural Road Authority (KeRRA), will see works started in October 2015 finalised by 2018.