P.S. Dr. Eng Cyrus Njiru and Mr. Sylvester Kasuku shake hands as Eng Patrick Obath looks on.

“The railway from Mombasa to Kisumu does not operate. How do you hope to achieve this new project if you can’t get the Mombasa – Kisumu right?” The question was put forward to Dr. Engineer Cyrus Njiru the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of transport. The P.S whose mere passion may lead this project to take of the ground did not miss a heart beat as he explained in details of the Mombasa to Kisumu railway position as off today. He went ahead and gave dates and the conditions that have been set that will see this corridor brought back to efficiency and quality it was in the 70’s and even make it better. He noted that it was because he was here to talk of the LAPSSET project that this was not featured.

The LAPSSET project, which is the name derived from Lamu Port, South Sudan and Ethiopia, is another corridor that is similar to the corridor established in the early 90’s that created the Mombasa Port, Mombasa-Nairobi – Malaba/Kisumu Highway. The creation saw the emergence of towns and cities of Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu and Malaba along the corridor and four major airports in Mombasa, Nairobi Eldoret and Kisumu.

LAPSSET just like the current corridor will also lead to the development of Lamu Port and thereafter the emergence of the cities and towns of Lamu, Garissa, Isiolo, Moyale as the corridor moves toward Ethiopia. And Lodwar and Lokichokio as corridor moves from Isiolo toward South Sudan. 

The P.S noted that to be able to achieve the whole project it will have to be broken down. He said the timeline now is 30 years but this could be reduced to even a shorter period. The P.S encouraged the Diaspora to look into it. The Chairman of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance Engineer Patrick Obath talked briefly of how the private sector could be of assistance through Private Public Partnerships. Mr. Sylvester Kasuku – Infrastructure Sector Specialist, Office of the Prime Minister also talked about this project.

The project once started is expected to lead Kenya to grow GDP at the 10% annually envisioned by vision 2030.

Jamhuri will be covering all angles of this project to give Diaspora Kenyans the opportunity to explore and invest and be part of this project.