Kenya Roads Board (KRB) and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) have flagged off three motor graders and seven supervision vehicles for use in road construction and supervision activities.
The equipment has been acquired through monies disbursed by Kenya Roads Board (KRB) through the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF) in the Annual Public Roads Programme FY2019/2020.
The road construction equipment and the supervision vehicles will be used by KWS to maintain and rehabilitate roads as well as ensure faster security response to emergencies and incidences within the parks.
“I am confident that the new equipment will improve accessibility and mobility within the parks and therefore increase the tourism numbers and revenues. The tourism industry was largely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, I am happy that the industry is now getting back on track. KRB will continue to support and work closely with KWS to ensure that that the park and game reserve roads are well maintained.” Said Rashid Mohamed, KRB Director General.
KWS is one of the agencies that receive funding from KRB, annually, for road maintenance works within national parks and game reserves.
KRB on its part conducts inspection tours that involve the assessment on the utilization of the Roads Maintenance Levy Fund. One percent of the monies from the fund is allocated in respect to roads in national parks and reserves administered by KWS.
Last year, the Board inspected Amboseli, Tsavo East and West National Parks. From the tour, KWS had maintained over 2,310 kilometres in the parks.
KWS manages approximately 4,583 kilometres of road in various national parks and reserves.
Approximately, 2,500 comprises the classifies networks which is maintained from the fuel levy funds while the balance is maintained and developed through other funds.
In this FY 2021/2022, KWS has been allocated Ksh.651, 338,776 for maintenance of 2,448kms of the road network representing a 53% coverage of the entire KWS network.
In the FY 2020/2021, the agency got Ksh.631,314,490.
KRB’s support to KWS has also seen two graduate engineers posted at KWS as part of the Board’s Graduate Engineers Programme aimed at equipping young graduates with necessary professionals’ skills necessary for registration as professional engineers.
The graduate engineers are instrumental in supporting KWS technical team with road works planning and supervision.
KRB is mandated to oversee the road network in Kenya, coordinate the maintenance, rehabilitation and development funded by the Kenya Roads Board Fund. In achieving this,the Board works with the road agencies and KWS by funding their various road projects annually.
This is achieved through Annual Public Roads Programme (APRP) which outlines the planned Road Maintenance Works that will be carried out by the Road Agencies each financial year.
