Recently appointed as the African Union special envoy for infrastructure development in the continent, Raila Odinga has announced plans to construct a 6,000-km road linking Mombasa in Kenya to Lagos in Nigeria in bid to link Africa through modern highways and railways.
The opposition leader, indicated that linking Kenya to Nigeria via road will be among his priorities as African Union’s high representative of infrastructure and development. He intends to oversee construction of 60,000 km of highways linking the entire continent and the Trans-African highway project commissioned in 1971 to open up continent for trade.
“Primary projects will be an 8,000-km highway linking Cairo to Dakar in Senegal. Another 8,000-km road will stretch from Cairo and Cape Town. A 6,000-km road linking Mombasa to Lagos is part of this ambitious project,” said Raila Odinga.
Odinga who said he accepted the role by AU because he believed land transport was an integral part of the continent’s economic growth added he intended to have another 4,700-km road between Dakar and Lagos built. He explained that out of nine highways proposed over four decades ago, only the 4,500kms road between Dakar and N’Djamena in Chad had been constructed.
“My belief is that having reliable road infrastructure and railways linking all corners of Africa will open up the continent and make it a gateway to the 21st century. Through my new position I am determined to take Africa to economic independence,” affirmed Odinga.
