Author: Lasuba Memo | Published: 5 hours ago
Juba-Torit-Nadapal highway. (-)
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has warned that slow and bureaucratic procurement processes could delay the $189 million (Sh24.39 billion) upgrade of the Kenya–South Sudan road corridor, according to a report by Business Daily Africa.
The 183.4-kilometre project, to be implemented in three lots, is intended to reduce travel time for heavy trucks and boost cross-border trade between the two countries.
The bank cautions that delays in hiring consultants and finalising construction contracts could also push back linked infrastructure such as one-stop border posts and road safety facilities, creating knock-on effects that may disrupt the overall project timeline and its financing.
AfDB’s concern is significant because the corridor is more than a transport upgrade; it is a key trade-enabling route for the region.
South Sudan relies heavily on Kenyan import channels, but poor road conditions — particularly during the rainy season — often make sections impassable, raising logistics costs and undermining supply-chain reliability for fuel, consumer goods, and other essential imports.
Kenya, as the larger exporter, stands to gain disproportionately if the corridor becomes faster and more predictable, especially once one-stop border posts reduce clearance delays at crossing points.
To prevent procurement delays from becoming the main bottleneck, AfDB is urging tighter execution discipline, including the use of a procurement-tracking dashboard and more frequent progress reviews.
The bank has reportedly highlighted June 2026 as a critical milestone, signalling that while financing is in place, the pace of implementation will determine whether the road delivers near-term trade gains or becomes another long-delayed regional infrastructure project.
