The African Development Bank (AfDB) has announced that the construction of the 460 kilometer transnational highway between Kenya and Tanzania will begin early next year (2020).
The Development Bank stayed that the funding for the road is expected to be approved in September 2019.
The highway will cost approximately $751 million (75.1 billion Kenyan Shillings).
The highway will go through Malindi, Mombasa and Lunga Lunga on the Kenyan side and Horohoro, Tanga and Bagamoyo on the Tanzanian side.
The African Development Bank (AfDB), will finance 70 percent of the coastal highway while the governments of Kenya and Tanzania will cover the remaining 30 percent.
East African Director General of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Gabriel Negatu, made it known that both the Kenya and Tanzania governments have finalized plans to pave the way for the construction of the coastal highway.
Gabriel Negatu gave this revelation during the Kenya roadshow for the upcoming second edition of the Africa Investment Forum.
The highway is expected to ease the trade tensions between the Kenya and Tanzania which have been characterized by the seizing and auctioning of heads of cattle which had crossed over borders, the burning alive of about 6,500 day old chicks by the Tanzanian Government and the creation of unnecessary trade barriers between both nations, among others.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has been a major player in the infrastructure sector of the East African Committee (EAC).
It funded the construction of the Arusha to Namanga to Athi River road, which was completed in 2012, and the Arusha to Holili to Taveta to Voi road.
