Page 37 - NILE EXPLORER

Electric Power Supply
In addition to the above the Government
has prioritized the provision of appropriate
infrastructural service aimed at supporting
the massive investments planned for the
LAPSSET Corridor. The Government has
just completed the electric power connection
for the Lamu Port of 220 kV transmission
line from Rabai through Malindi and Garsen
to Lamu.
Construction of electric power transmission Raised profile of LAPSSET:
line has commenced to deliver electric power
connection to key LAPSSET Corridor areas A regional, if not, Continental Project
such as Garissa, Isiolo and Turkana. Already
construction of 132 kV transmission line African Union Envoy for Infrastructure Commission - for consideration under the
from Seven Folks/Kindaruma to Garissa is Development in Africa, Raila Odinga, AU flagship projects of Agenda 2063. This
wowed leaders and congregants alike when
followed the sustained waning interest by
ongoing; construction of 132 kV transmission he was welcomed to shed light on the AU’s regional partners, financial constraints
line from Mount Kenya region to Isiolo is infrastructure project. and lack of geo-political will, which had
ongoing. Plans for the construction of 400 abandoned Kenya alone on the massive
kV transmission line from Lake Turkana to The adoption of Kenya’s mega Lamu Port- project.
Suswa are at an advanced stage while plans South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport (Lapsset)
are ongoing for the construction of 220 kV Corridor Programme as an African Union “This infrastructure development will
line from Garsen to Garissa. project and the proposal to redesign to link promote the achievement of the AfCFTA and
the Lamu port on the eastern African Coast the inter connectivity will enhance movement
of the Indian Ocean to Douala port in the of goods and services,” said Mr Osiemo,
Airports western Africa Atlantic Ocean could be the adding, “Lack of infrastructure was cited as
The government has embarked on improving game changer, that Kenya and its partners a major impediment in doing business and
facilities at the three airports to provide for in the original LAPSSET project never saw this project will create a link from Lamu port
and help ease trade by reducing the distance
coming---particularly the prevarication,
air travel services in the interim to enhance
accessibility to the corridor. Improvement indecisiveness and fluid commitment by through an efficient land transport system.”.
Uganda, Ethiopia and South Sudan.
works on Lokichogio Airport were completed The initial design of the project was to cover
in the recent past and is already operational The adoption brings on board new dynamics, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan, but the
with scheduled flights landing at the airport. while at the same time elevates the project’s redesign and adoption by the AU tweaks
status to a continental project, far beyond
the project to connect East Africa with West
Provision of airport facilities will strengthen the confines of eastern African regional Africa so as to facilitate the AfCFTA.
buildup of air transport and logistics rivalries. Framed within the framework of “The new regional project implementation
services along the corridor in readiness for the African Continental Free Trade Area
the construction of the three international (AfCFTA), the project’s profile, together with programme will assist partner countries to
hasten the development of the project and
airports at the three locations in the future. the development works and investments this commitment will attract more financiers
Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has already already made singularly by Kenya, places it to bring this project to success. In the past,
made plans to establish air transport safety, as an attractive value proposition for foreign each country has been funding its own
security and surveillance facilities and direct investment and other financiers projects but the MoU will facilitate crowd
services to strengthen air transport and comparative to its status at the time of launch funding,” said Mr Odinga.
logistics in northern Kenya. in 2012. Implementation now shifts to Addis Other the projects under the Presidential
Ababa, under AU, as part of the key cogs in
the realization of the African Continental Infrastructure Champion Initiative being
Manda Lamu Airport Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). considered by the AU are the Nigeria-
Algeria gas pipeline project (Trans-Sahara
The government recently completed The Africa Union’s High Representative for Gas Pipeline); Missing links on the Trans-
lengthening of Lamu Manda Island Airport Infrastructure Development in Africa, Raila Sahara highway and optic fibre link between
runway from 1.1 km to 2.3 km. Improvement Odinga, made the announcement early, this Algeria and Nigeria; Dakar-Ndjamena-
works are already complete for the airport year, in Mombasa, Kenya at a ceremony was Djibouti road/rail project. Others are North-
terminal building. Preparations are at an attended by ministers from Kenya, Ethiopia South Corridor road/rail project; Kinshasa-
advanced stage towards the construction and South Sudan. A memorandum of Brazzaville bridge road/rail project;
of a parallel taxiway and aircraft apron area understanding for development and funding Unblocking political bottlenecks for ICT
to improve capacity of the airport. These was signed, preceded by a three-day technical broadband and optic fibre projects linking
improvements will enhance the capacity team meeting that discussed the future of the neighbouring states and construction of
of Manda Lamu Airport that already has a project. The meeting was also attended by navigational line between Lake Victoria and
strong scheduled flights clientele. the African Development Bank (AfDB), the the Mediterranean Sea.
United Nations Economic Mission of Africa
and the African Union’s New Partnership for
Isiolo Airport Africa Development (Nepad).
The Government has completed construction A few years back, the Lapsset Development
works on the 1.2 km Isiolo Airport runway. Authority applied - to the AU Programme
Construction for Airport Terminal Building for Infrastructure Development in Africa
is complete, and Kenya Airports Authority is (PIDA), under Nepad and subsequently to
making plans to operationalize the airport the Presidential Infrastructure Champion
with facilities already in place. Initiative (PICI) project under the AU

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