Nyamasaria-Airport bypass in Kisumu. [Photo/Businessdaily]The Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) has said funding challenges will delay construction work for a proposed Sh41.6 billion road along the shores of Lake VictoriaWork on the proposed road that was supposed to start this year.
KeNHA however, told Shipping and Logistics that the government was yet to secure financing for the project.Kefa Sade the KeNHA special projects manager said the World Bank funded design work for the project to the tune of Sh340 million.Sade said, “A detailed design of the project is set to be out in the next few months. We’re securing funds for construction and once approved, the tendering process for construction will begin”.The road will run from Bumala in Busia along the lake shore across Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori counties up to Muhuru Bay near the border with Tanzania once it is completedLast week The National Environment Management Authority published an impact assessment of the road with information that might further delay works once construction is underway.During the breeding season of fish, Nema proposed, the contractor working on the road will be restricted from building bridges anytime between April and May any time soon.In addition, for the breedibg season of the birds that live at the swamp, heavy works in the Yala Swamp in Siaya should be stopped between April and June.Given the socio-economic potential of the lake shore will improve access once completedThe road is also expected to improve and facilitate free flow of goods and services in the five counties and the border towns of Uganda while providing connectivity to the rest of Kenya’s national roads network.