Infrastructure
Kwa Jomvu–Mariakani Road Upgrade Gets Underway
The project will be completed at a cost of Sh13.6 billion.
The long-awaited upgrade of the Kwa Jomvu–Mariakani road into a four- and six-lane dual carriageway is now underway after securing Sh13.6 billion from financiers.
The project, backed by European financiers, is the second phase of the Mombasa-Mariakani (A109) Road Project, which involves dualling the 41 km stretch between the two locations.
Phase one of the project—Mombasa–Kwa Jomvu—nicknamed the Mombasa Jomvu Superhighway by residents, spans 12 km and was completed in 2022 by the Third Engineering Bureau of China City Construction Group Co. Ltd, at a cost of Sh6.5 billion.
The Kwa Jomvu–Mariakani road is part of the broader Northern Corridor upgrade, alongside the Mombasa–Kilifi, Kitale–Morpus, and Isebania–Kisii–Ahero roads.
The project is being financed under the Global Gateway EU–Africa Strategy, with the European Investment Bank (EIB Global) and German Development Bank (KfW) providing concessional loans of Sh13.6 billion (€100 million).
The European Union (EU) is providing a Sh2.7 billion (€20 million) grant, with the Kenyan government matching the amount.
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Speaking at the launch of the project in Mariakani on March 2, 2025, President William Ruto thanked European financiers for supporting the development of Kenya’s infrastructure.
“I would like to thank our Team Europe partners for their support in developing and expanding this road, which will ease the movement of goods to and from the port,” Ruto said.
Jozef Sikela, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, described the project as quality infrastructure that will drive Kenya’s economic growth and enhance regional trade.
“This Global Gateway project is a great example of quality infrastructure made possible by the cooperation between the Kenyan government and the European Union,” Sikela said.
Kristina Laarmann, Director of KfW in Nairobi, said that beyond improving traffic flow and reducing transport costs, the project will create jobs both during and after construction.
“This project will not only create jobs during the construction phase; it will also stimulate job opportunities and local businesses after completion,” Laarmann said.
According to the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), the road—set for completion by July 2026—is 24.85% complete, with an 18.5 km section still under construction.
“Out of this section, the contractor has completed 16.6km on the left-hand side and 8.2km on the right side. The remaining 11.9km will be worked on after compensation of the Project Affected Persons along that section,” KeNHA stated.
The roads agency added that the contractor has been on-site since the start and is executing work as scheduled, while collaborating with relevant government agencies to resolve challenges, particularly land compensation, and avert delays.
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