Projects That Hold Uhuru’s Legacy Ahead of 2022 Polls

President Uhuru Kenyans (in white shirt) is shown how to operate construction machinery by a worker
President Uhuru Kenyans (in white shirt) is shown how to operate construction machinery by a worker.
Twitter

With less than a year to the next election, it is now safe to say that President Uhuru Kenyatta is in his final lap as the Head of State and the legacy he leaves behind will go past his August 2022 tenure. When he took oath of office alongside his Deputy President in 2013, the Head of State ran on the precipice of the Big Four agenda with promises of Universal Health Coverage, jobs for the youth and infrastructural projects.

As much as he has achieved relative success in the nine years that he has been at the top, a huge chunk of his legacy will still be determined by the projects that are still in progress.

Here are nine of the biggest legacies that will make or ruin President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Legacy.

  1. Nairobi Expressway
Ongoing construction of the Nairobi Expressway
Ongoing construction of the Nairobi Expressway
twitter

Since the launch of the construction of the country’s yet to be largest elevated highway in 2020, it was apparent that the landscape and skyline of Nairobi city would be upended for good.

Now at 92 percent completion on the elevated section and plans to construct the lower decker in high gear, the project seems to be on the right track ahead of its completion set for June 2022.

Throughout its construction cycle, the project, which was initially expected to be completed in December 2021, was pushed forward to April 2022 before another announcement emerged that it would be completed in June 2022.

When complete, the road will be the country’s first ever toll highway and is expected to cut travel time between Mlolongo along Mombasa Road and James Gichuru junction in Westlands to just over 20 minutes, from two hours motorists endure due to traffic congestion.

  1. Uhuru Gardens Museum

On Sunday, December 12, as part of the Jamhuri Day celebrations, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced a state of the art museum at Uhuru Gardens which had just undergone a facelift.

To be specific, the Head of State disclosed that he would return to the grounds to launch the museum once it is completed in April 2022. 

It will contain unedited history of Kenya’s freedom activists and heroes like Ronald Ngala and Tom Mboya. Uhuru noted that all school-going children would get free entry into the facility in order to be educated about the country’s history.

“You will see history unedited here. People will come to see Harry Thuku and many other historians," stated Raila who was in attendance.

  1. 50 Level 3 Hospitals
An image of Uhuru
President Uhuru Kenyatta inspecting the construction of hospitals in informal settlements on Monday 10 August 2020.
Twitter

Part of the Head of State’s Big 4 Agenda was to make health services accessible, and true to his word, he has invested in a number of hospitals and health centers, most notably in Nairobi where 24 hospitals are being constructed.

The budget policy statement for the 2022/23 Financial Year, released in mid-November, signalled that the state had plans to roll out 50 more hospitals countrywide.

The Level 3 hospitals are expected to cost at least Ksh64 million each with details remaining scanty on the capacity of the facilities.

“To enhance access to medical coverage across the nation, and as part of the Universal Health Coverage programme, the Government will establish an additional 50 New Level 3 Hospitals, to be situated in non-covered areas and densely populated areas across our nation. To enable this, the Government will allocate Ksh3.2 billion for immediate construction of these medical facilities,” draft policy statement read in part.

  1. Affordable Housing

In 2013, the state committed to provide 500,000 homes with the supporting infrastructure to Kenyans using innovative funding mechanisms and technologies under the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP).

The first AHP project in Park Road, Nairobi consisting of 1,370 one, two, and three-bedroom units was successfully completed in October 2020. In Jan 2021, The government acquired a 34-acre piece of land in Murang’a County on which 1,500 additional units are to be constructed.

In Nairobi, the national government and the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) earmarked 10 estates for the affordable housing programme. They are Bahati, Maringo, Jericho, Lumumba, Bondeni, Ziwani, Embakasi, California, Kariobangi North and Woodley Estate.

Since the project started, 2,235 affordable housing units have been occupied. In September, the state launched a Ksh850 million Kasarani project with 284 units selling for between Ksh1.9 million to Ksh5.4 million.

All ongoing projects are expected to be completed in 2022.

  1. Makupa Bridge
The ongoing construction at he Makupa Casueway
The ongoing construction at the Makupa Causeway

In August 2022, President Uhuru launched the construction of the new Ksh4.5 billion Makupa bridge. The 457-metre-long bridge is intended to accommodate the old railway line as well as the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

At a cost of Ksh4.5 billion, the new infrastructure will replace the historic Makupa causeway that links Mombasa Island to the mainland.

The construction of the causeway is expected to end in August 2022.

  1. Changamwe Interchange

Launched in 2017, the Chamgamwe Interchange, which is part of the Mombasa - Mariakani Road was poised for a facelift to include the interchange that would ease traffic on the busy highway.

With the uplift pegged at Ksh8.5 billion, the project, which is changing the face of Mombasa, suffered delays but with the update provided by Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), the project was right on course.

The Mombasa – Kwa Jomvu section of the road provides access to the Port of Mombasa and facilitates freight transport originating or destined for Nairobi and other inland regional cities of countries in East and Central Africa connected by the Northern Corridor.

The project is set to be completed in 2022.

  1. Kipevu Oil Terminal
An oil tanker discharges fuel at the Kipevu terminal in Mombasa port.
An oil tanker discharges fuel at the Kipevu terminal in Mombasa port.
Daily Nation

China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), in November, provided the status update of the Kipevu Oil Terminal project which is still under construction.

The project, which is valued at Ksh40 billion, is expected to aid the Port of Mombasa handle bigger volumes of fuel products.

“The New Kipevu Oil Terminal will have a capacity of 100,000 metric tonnes and handle over four vessels at a time… It will also have a Liquid Petroleum Gas line which will increase LPG supply in the country,” read a statement from PDU at the time.

Dry run of the facility will be carried out before the end of this year, with the launch slated for 2022.

  1. Africities Center in Kisumu

In July 2021, the National Government allocated a total of Ksh850 million for the construction of Afri-cities Convention Centre at Mamboleo in Kisumu.

Construction of the facility kicked off in August 2021 with an estimated 6,000 delegates expected to grace the international convention set to be held at the venue in 2022.

The facility, which is slated for completion in May 2022, has an auditorium, exhibition arena, break rooms and can handle about 4,000 delegates at the same time.

The facility also contains an outdoor Amphitheatre, VIP lounge, cultural centre, health centre, press rooms, picnic area and a children’s park.

Energy Cabinet Secretary, Charles Keter, in November, however, expressed concerns regarding the slow pace under which the project was being carried out and noted that it was already 2 months behind schedule.

Construction workers at the Afri-cities Convention Centre in Kisumu in August 2021.
Construction workers at the Afri-cities Convention Centre in Kisumu in August 2021.
Construction Review
  1. National Police Service Referral Hospital

In November, President Uhuru commissioned the construction of the Level 4 Forces Memorial Hospital along Raila Odinga Road, formerly Mbagathi Way.

The project will cater for the medical needs of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers and their families.

According to artistic impressions of the facility, it is a 3-floor building and will include numerous wings all painted in white with red roofing.

Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang’i, noted that the facility was set for completion in 2022.