| Project Detail |
Project Summary
Approval Date 16 Dec 2022
Planned Completion Date 31 Dec 2027
Last Disbursement Planned Date 31 Dec 2027
Sovereign / Non-Sovereign Sovereign
Sector Transport
DAC Sector Code 21023
Commitment U.A 152,192,064.87
Status Approved
Project General Description
The Lesseru – Kitale (55km) and Morpus - Lokichar Road (138km) sections form part of the Lesseru – Nadapal – Kapoeta - Juba (945km) (Kenya- South Sudan) corridor, a strategic regional route, interconnecting Kenya and South Sudan. Indeed, the road corridor buttresses the regional transport network by linking the Northern Corridor at Lesseru with the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor at Lokichar. Currently, due to the deteriorated condition of the road, transit traffic currently passesthrough the longer route via Uganda. The project will therefore significantly enhance connectivity within the Eastern Africa Region, connecting the project region to the northern parts of Kenya; linking landlocked South Sudan to a seaport; and boosting regional integration and trade. Because of resource constraints and lack of project readiness on the South Sudan side, Bank’s interventions will be addressed through a phased approach, to ensure the realization of regional benefits. Therefore, as a first step, the proposed project includes the provision of technical assistance (TA) to South Sudan, to enhance the country’s readiness to roll out the planned investments under phase II. On the Kenya side, the proposed Bank funded project will complement ongoing interventions financed by the World Bank, KfW and the European Investment Bank. The overall project cost estimate (net of taxes) including provisions for physical and price contingencies is UA 174 million.
Project Objectives
The project development objective is to improve transport connectivity between Kenya and South Sudan thereby deepening regional integration and trade and contributing to alleviation of fragility by providing a more efficient, safe and effective cross-border transport system. The specific objective of the project is to improve road transport along the Lesseru – Nadapal – Juba corridor (Kenya/South Sudan) by reducing travel time, travel cost and improving road traffic safety along the project road sections.
Beneficiaries
The project is located in the North-Western region of Kenya. As a multinational project the beneficiaries will be the traders, farmers, businesspersons and consumers in Kenya and South Sudan. In Kenya, the Lesseru – Kitale Road section traverses Uasin Gishu, Kakamega and Trans Nzoia Counties whose main economic activities are agriculture with horticulture (export growers), with wheat, tea, and coffee. According to the 2019 KPHC, the counties of Trans Nzoia and Uasin Gishu have a total population of over 2 million of which 50% are females. The Morpus - Lokichar road section traverses West Pokot and Turkana Counties, which represent one of the marginalized, relatively underdeveloped, arid areas of the country with relatively high levels of poverty among the communities and reported cases of insecurity. According to the 2019 KPHC, these counties have a total population of 1.5 million of which 49% are females. In South Sudan, institutions in the transport sector will benefit from the TA provided under the project. |
