Expansion and reconstruction works on the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Uhuru Highway to Gigiri road is set to begin.

This follows the signing today of additional funding for the road at a ceremony at State House Nairobi witnessed by President Mwai Kibaki and Mr. Jia Qinglin, the Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

Today’s signing of an economic and technical co-operation amounting to Kshs 532 million brought the total commitment by China on construction of the JKIA-Gigiri road to Kshs 2.1 billion.

President Kibaki and Mr. Qinglin will this Thursday 26th April, 2007 officially launch construction work of the road at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi West. The construction will include street lighting, an extra lane on some sections of the road, while some landmark roundabouts, that Nairobi residents and visitors have been accustomed to will be discarded.

During the occasion, Finance Minister Amos Kimunya on behalf of the Kenya Government and Chinese Trade Minister Wei Jianguo on the Chinese side also exchanged notes on a project of cooperative archeological investigation on Lamu Archipelago amounting to Kshs 177 million, a feasibility study on a project to build a hospital in Kenya and a feasibility study on a project to build two rural schools.

Earlier, President Kibaki and the visiting Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference held bilateral talks where the two leaders lauded the cordial relations existing between the two countries.

President Kibaki thanked the Chinese Government for its continued financial support to Kenya’s development, noting that China is one of Kenya’s major development partners.

The President recalled that Kenya and China have signed various bilateral agreements and memorandum of understanding on projects that have gone a long way to improve the lives of Kenyans.

On his part, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference commended President Kibaki’s leadership, saying that during the short time he has been in office the relationship between Kenya and China has improved significantly.

In this regard, Mr. Qinglin assured President Kibaki that China will continue supporting Kenya’s development endeavours in the spirit of cooperation.

Also present were ministers Simeon Nyachae, Raphael Tuju, Prof. George Saitoti and Suleiman Shakombo, the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Amb. Francis Muthaura, several permanent secretaries and senior government officials.


Courtesy of PPS
Nairobi, 24th April, 2007