Private sector and County Governments ready to invest in Road Side Stations along the Northern Corridor
The Northern Corridor forms the backbone of transport system which links signatory Member States of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda to the Port of Mombasa. It is the most important trade route among the five key corridors designated by the East African Community as critical to its development agenda.
With high traffic, especially heavy commercial and long-distance passenger vehicles moving goods and people across the region, safety on this corridor has been a concern for many stakeholders. Over the years, the corridor has had the highest cases of road accidents, most of which can be attributed to the heavy trucks and buses. Long-distance drivers face many challenges among them long working hours which leads to fatigue, loss of concentration and poor health, all of which are major contributors to accidents.
The Multiagency Stakeholders Team with Busia County Engineers after discussing and amending a Roadside Station Project plan dubbed Mundika Trailer Pak.
In the COVID-19 pandemic period, it came out clear that the Northern Corridor region lacks adequate facilities along the main sections of the road network for rest and recovery, maintenance, parking and wellness centres equipped with adequate health services. Roadside Stations and wellness centres are more needed than ever before not only for rest stops but also to decongest the border control points, to ensure seamless movements of goods and persons.
According to the findings of the inspection of private facilities similar to the Roadside Stations (RSS) designs by a multiagency team involving Public and Private sector Stakeholders in Kenya, most existing and ongoing projects for parking facilities along the Northern Corridor are either under private sector initiatives or County Governments.
The exercise carried out between 22nd and 29th September 2020 started from Mombasa, all the way to the borders of Busia and Malaba and coming back to Mombasa.
The Parking facilities which were found to have enough amenities that can be upgraded into RSS facilities include Shell and Premium Energy Bonje located near the port of Mombasa; Maungu Park owned by Taita Taveta County Government; Sparkle Centre located in Mtito Andei mostly used by buses; Darussalam Hotel and parking facility located in Mtito Andei; Delamere Holding Shop Point located out of Naivasha on the way to Gilgil serving as a stopover for small cars and buses; Shell Salgaa located along the Northern Corridor highway in Salgaa; Uasin Gishu Lorry Park located in Jua Kali and owned by the County Government of Uasin Gishu; as well as the Parking Facilities at Malaba Uganda with additional private parking yards within a distance of 0.5 Km from the Malaba OSBP.
To ease the pressure of trucks parking on road shoulders, Kenya National Highways Authority developed Roadside Stops mainly at Manyatta, Kiboko, Mlolongo Jua Kali and Burnt Forest. However, the KeNHA developed Roadside Stops lack sanitary facilities, accommodation and eateries for truckers.
The Multiagency Stakeholders team also found that there are other RSS projects at thinking stage while others were at different early stages of implementation; including one at KeNHA land in Sultan Hamud, to be developed under the RSS national regulations; another at Shell and Premium Energy 17-acres-land in Maai Mahiu near the Naivasha ICD; Mundika Trailer Park and Malaba Park by Busia County Government; and on private land in Kikopey between Nakuru and Gilgil, whose owner was keen to a partnership to assist him to implement his project. The Kikopey RSS would cater for Nakuru and Gilgil which require parking yards.
One of the busiest Roadside Stops at Burnt Forest developed for trucks by KeNHA
With the firm willingness to invest in RSS, Private Sector players and County Governments have to be accompanied and assisted in the implementation of their projects. In the short term and medium term, the Northern Corridor Secretariat commits to make an immediate follow up with potential investors towards the development and upgrading to RSS level the existing and ongoing parking facilities. Furthermore, the Secretariat will continue engagement with KeNHA and County Governments towards the implementation of RSS programme in Kenya.
And where possible, the road authorities in the Member States should provide for roadside stops with sanitary facilities for truckers and other road users.
To facilitate and provide timely and accurate information on concession and land matters, the Government of the Republic of Kenya set up a Steering Committee as one-stop centre composed of members from the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, Ministry of Land, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Unit, Kenya High Ways Authority (KeNHA) and National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).