By Prudence Minayo
The Jubilee administration led by President Uhuru Kenyatta has tarmacked over 10,500 km of roads since taking power in 2013. Most of the major roads in Kenya have been or are currently being constructed by Chinese companies. The numerous road projects have turned Kenyan into a construction site. It’s also worth noting that the loans running into billions of shillings have been borrowed by the Chinese government.
Below is a list of some of the top Chinese Road Construction Companies in Kenya:
China Wu Yi Engineering and Construction Company
In 2013, it was among the most sought after Chinese Construction Companies in Kenya. At the time, it had won more than a dozen contracts in the country. It is amongst the six most established Chinese Construction firms in Kenya.
The company was the major contractor of the Thika Superhighway. The road cost US$360 (approximately kes36 billion), and helped transform the face of Nairobi, becoming a one of its kind in the country. They were also involved in the project of tarmacking the first phase of the road between Kenya Ethiopia border town of Moyale and Isiolo. The cost of the project was more than US$63 million.
Another notable project is the first phase of the modernisation of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
In 2016, they won a tender to expand the Waiyaki road. The project was reported to cost Sh16.4 billion.
They are currently working on the James Gichuru Road which is 30% complete and is said to cost USD 163 million.
Sino-hydro Construction Company
In 2012, Engineering News Record ranked it number 14 out of 225 Global contractors. It has a presence in more than fifty countries in Africa, Asia, South America, North America and Europe. The company won the 31- kilometer Nairobi Northern Bypass Dualling tender.
The company is working on the Kibwezi-Kitui-Migwani Road . The project was expected to cost Ksh18.4 billion but the government released an additional Ksh3.1 billion bringing the total cost to Ksh21.5.
Sinohydro was also one of the contractors of the Thika Superhighway.
Also Read: 10 Most Expensive Roads in Kenya And Their Contractors
Also Read: Tallest Buildings in Nairobi And The Architects Who Designed Them
China Jiangxi International Company
International Project Value listed Jiangxi among the top 250 largest construction firms with a revenue of $392.3 million.
In 2016, the company won a tender to construct the 40- kilometer Kakamega-Webuye road in a contract that cost about kshs4.1 billion.
Jiangxi is also the contractor of the Sh16 billion Kenol-Marua road. The dual Carriageway is a segment of the proposed 219km Kenol-Isiolo Carriageway.
China Roads and Bridges Corporation (CRBC)
The company’s most remarkable and famous work in Kenya is the construction of the Mombasa- Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway with a main line of about 472 kilometers. The railway has made transportation between Nairobi and Mombasa fast, comfortable and easier. The Standard Gauge Railway is a landmark project and the first of its kind after Kenya and China established the Cooperative and Comprehensive Partnership.
CRBC IS the contractor of the Nairobi Expressway. The Nairobi Expressway’s construction started mid 2020 and is expected to be completed in 2022. It begins at Mlolongo, connects Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to the CBD, then ends at James Gichuru in Westlands. The road is being built on a public-private partnership with a concession period of thirty years before it will be handed back to the government. The road is being constructed at more than Ksh 62 billion.
They were also in charge of construction of the Ksh18 billion Southern Bypass, which was completed in 2016. They are also the contractors of the Ksh17.3 billion Western Bypass.
Xinhua
This company is one of the contractors of the Kenya- South Sudan highway. The project commenced in 2016 after Kenya signed a deal with the World Bank. The 601 kilometer road is said to cost about kes37 billion and is expected to ease the exploration of fuel in Turkana.
China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC)
Formerly known as Foreign Aid Bureau, the company was founded in 1979. It is among the pioneer Chinese companies to enter the international market. For years, it has appeared in the world’s top 225 international construction list. By 2016, it had established a presence in 89 countries spread across Africa, Asia, Europe, America and Oceania.
The corporation was awarded the Dongo Kundu Highway project. Phase 1 was completed in 2018 at a cost of USD110 million. The company is currently constructing phase II of the project. It will connect three main transport corridors, including the Mombasa- Nairobi Highway, Mombasa-Malindi highway and the Mombasa- Lunga Lunga Highway.
