Sh1.7 billion Tana River Bridge set for completion in four months

North Eastern regional commissioner John Otieno addressing the press after touring the ongoing construction of the Tana bridge.

The long-awaited Sh1.7 billion Tana bridge will be completed and ready for commissioning in the coming four months.

North Eastern regional commissioner John Otieno said that the team was impressed by the progress made by the contractor to date when he led the Regional Project Implementation Monitoring and Communication Committee members on an inspection tour of the mega project together with representatives from the Presidential Delivery Unit.

The new bridge, which spans approximately 150 metres, is valued at Sh1.77 billion and is a key infrastructure project designed to ease congestion and accommodate the growing volume of traffic into and out of the region.

According to the regional commissioner, the project was initially expected to be completed by next week, but minor challenges prompted the contractor to request an extension.

“Due to some minor challenges, the contractor has sought for an extension of four months, which is currently under review. We therefore expect this project to be completed and commissioned within the next four months,” Otieno said.

“This is a game changer. It is a very modern bridge. As you are aware, we have been using a bridge that has been here for quite some time,” he added.

Otieno said that the bridge, whose lifespan is 100 years, is a transformative investment for the region that would significantly improve connectivity of the region to the rest of the country.

The new bridge will be dedicated to vehicles, while the adjacent old one will be used by pedestrians, bodaboda riders and livestock.

Otieno highlighted other major infrastructure projects being undertaken by the national government, among them the Lamu Port, South Sudan, Ethiopia Transport Corridor, where 68 kilometres of the road section has already been paved.

“When this road is complete, it will open up the region and make it easier for goods from Lamu port to pass through to neighbouring countries of South Sudan and Ethiopia,” he said.

Regional Head of the Government Delivery Unit Duncan Mwariri said the Tana bridge was among the key flagship projects under President William Ruto’s administration.

“There are many projects being implemented in this region, especially those touching on the livelihoods of the local mwananchi,” Mwariri said.

He added that one of the core pillars of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda being prioritised in the region was the development of feedlots to support the livestock economy.

“This region depends heavily on livestock. We want farmers to have their animals well catered for so that they are not severely affected by drought,” he said. '

Mwariri noted that livestock vaccination programmes were ongoing and reiterated the President’s commitment to ensuring that the North Eastern region is no longer marginalised.

“A lot is happening, and the President has made it clear that this region will never be marginalised again,” he added.