The Transport Ministry has changed its initial plan of buying 64 high-capacity buses from South Africa for the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system in Nairobi.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) James Macharia stated that the move was meant to favour local assemblers.
He noted that they had resulted in purchasing half of the initially planned and source the rest from within.
“We are set to acquire only 32 BRT buses from South Africa. The rest of the buses will be sourced from local manufacturers across the country,” he divulged.
Macharia, however, did not reveal the details about the financing promising that he would disclose everything at a later date.
According to the CS, the 64 buses were supposed to cost approximately Ksh1.6 billion with one valued at Ksh 25 million.
The latest developments come after reports indicated that the government had opted out of sourcing the buses from Kenya after local fabricators of passenger service vehicle bodies failed to meet the required specifications.
The BRT project is set to ease congestion in the city, with specific lanes being set aside for free flow of the buses.
In the city center, the special lanes will be constructed along roads such as the Haile Selassie Avenue, Moi Avenue, Kenyatta Avenue and University Way, according to the agency’s designs.
Outside the central business district, the Nairobi transport agency has mapped out five routes including Thika Road, Jogoo Road, Mombasa Road and Outer Ring Road that will have the lanes reserved for the special buses.
Each bus is expected ferry a range of between 62 to 100 passengers who will use cards for payment.
