Thika Road makes way for more big-dollar projects - kenyadetails

The completion of the Sh32 billion upgrade of Thika Road in September 2012 was a major construction feat as it was done when the road was still in use.

The 50km 8-lane highway that connects Thika to Nairobi was built by three Chinese companies; China Wu Yi, SinoHydro Corporation and Sheng Li Engineering Company.

The three companies received much commendation from both ordinary citizens and government officials for the quality of their work and the timeous delivery of the project.

Thika Road appears to have opened Kenya’s big-dollar project floodgates to China – with tens of Chinese companies currently involved in mega infrastructural project in East Africa’s largest economy.

China Bridge and Road Construction was, for example, recently chosen as the contractor of the now controversial standard gauge railway line project.

On the other hand, China National Aero-Technology International Engineering Corporation and Anhui Construction Engineering Group have been contracted to build the Greenfield Terminal at the JKIA in Nairobi.

Last year, China Communications Construction Company won a Sh41 billion tender to construct the first three berths at the port of Lamu. The project is set to kick off in June.

More Chinese companies have been contracted by both private developers and government agencies to complete projects ranging from roads, hospitals and churches to office blocks.

China Wu Yi is, for example, constructing the KCB Plaza in Upper Hill – one of the first buildings that employs green building technology to reduce demand for water and electricity.