The African Development Bank (AfDB) has granted US$300 million towards the construction of the Arusha-Mombasa Highway
The road project has been estimated to cost in the region of $560 million and will enhance trade within the East Africa Community (EAC).
The EAC Secretariat will continue to seek the additional $260 million to complete the road, which will connect northern and central Tanzania to the Kenyan port of Mombasa.
Better roads within the EAC have become a critical necessity in recent years with intra-EAC trade doubling from $2.2 billion in 2005 to $4.1 billion in 2010.
The Arusha-Mombasa road will be upgraded to a four-lane highway to ease road transport along the agricultural region of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Taita Taveta in Kenya.
It will also provide a major boost to tourism as it passes through the scenic Tsavo National Park in Kenya.
The EAC has been investing heavily in infrastructure developments with the $200 million Arusha–Athi River highway close to completion and construction of a 24km section of road between Voi and Mwatate already underway.
Tanzania has also received $216.8 million from the AfDB to upgrade and construct the Dodoma-Babati, Tunduru-Magaka and the Mangaka-Mtambaswala roads.
Mwangi Mumero
