Authorities in Nairobi, Kampala, and Kigali are caught in a race to expand key road infrastructure following an upsurge in vehicle traffic.
The traffic woes around East African capital cities reflect the high number of vehicles cleared at the Port of Mombasa which has grown sharply over the years, piling pressure on governments in the region
to expand existing infrastructure facilities.
A total of 157,856 motor vehicles were discharged in 2014 compared to
136,915 units cleared the previous year, an increase of 20,941, statistics by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) showed.
In 2012, 120,268 units were cleared at the Mombasa port, which also serves landlocked countries like Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South
Sudan.
Tanzania does most of its importations through the Dar es Saalam port.
Projections showed that the number of cars getting into the East Africa
region is expected to grow progressively.The growing number of vehicles getting into the region and using the roads has put pressure on the existing infrastructure, necessitating the expansion of road networks in major cities.
The expansion of roads will ensure the number of vehicles getting into
the region will not cram the existing roads, which were previously designed to accommodate fewer units.
Kenya Roads Urban Authority (Kura), which is charged with the mandate of managing, developing and maintaining all public roads in cities and towns in the country, has been instrumental in ensuring that the road network is expanded too.
