NAIROBI, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta on Sunday hailed Chinese-built roads in his country for boosting development and cutting travel times. Kenyatta made the comments when speaking at the commissioning ceremony for the Nairobi Expressway and the revamped Nairobi Eastern Bypass.
Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta (2nd L, front) cuts the ribbon when attending the commissioning ceremony for the Nairobi Expressway in Nairobi, Kenya, July 31, 2022. (Photo by Zhao Qian/Xinhua)
"Since we opened the road (Nairobi Expressway) for public trials, it now takes between 15 and 24 minutes to drive from Mlolongo in Machakos County to Rironi in Kiambu County. Before the expressway, that journey would take at least three hours which is the equivalent of flying to Addis Ababa and back," Kenyatta said.
Photo taken on May 8, 2022 shows a section of the Nairobi Expressway in Nairobi, Kenya. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)
Photo taken on Oct. 29, 2021 shows a section of the Nairobi Expressway under construction in Nairobi, Kenya. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)
The Nairobi Eastern Bypass project has widened the bypass from the original two-lane single carriageway into a four-lane and six-lane dual carriageway.
Aerial photo taken on Jan. 30, 2022 shows a section of the Nairobi Eastern Bypass under construction in Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo by Wang Heng/Xinhua)
Motor vehicles run on the revamped Nairobi Eastern Bypass in Nairobi, Kenya, July 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)
Kenyatta said he believes the expressway and bypass will address Nairobi's traffic gridlock, estimated to cost the nation over 5 billion shillings (about 41.99 million U.S. dollars) annually in lost productivity and wasted fuel.
Noting the roads' value in reducing congestion and enhancing productivity, Kenyatta said the expressway has bolstered the country's tourism, conferencing and hospitality sectors, which together employ over 3 million Kenyans directly and another 6 million indirectly.
Produced by Xinhua Global Service■
