The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) will sponsor youth living along the proposed Kenol-Sagana-Marua road expansion corridor to undertake courses at Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutes (TVETs). The initiative is aimed at empowering young people by equipping them with technical skills that they can use for gainful employment. The training is a component of the road project.
Announcing the offer, KeNHA said applicants to the programme would be between 18-35 years old with no formal training. They must also be able to read and write and have attained Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) or Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) level. Those from low income families and residents of informal settlements along the route will be given priority. The program targets residents of Murang’a, Nyeri and Kirinyaga counties. Courses range from masonry, plumbing and electricals to hairdressing, motor vehicle mechanics and welding. Among the institutions to offer these courses are Nyeri National Polytechnic, Mathenge Technical Training Institute and Sagana Technical Training Institute. Others are Mathira Technical and Vocational College, Kaitheri Youth Polytechnic and Michuki Technical Training Institute. The deadline for applications is 3rd November 2020.
The Kenol-Sagana-Marua road is part of the Great North Road/Trans African Highway from Cairo to Cape Town. The road constitutes a significant part of the corridor connecting the Port of Mombasa to Addis Ababa through Nairobi, Isiolo and Moyale. The 84-km stretch traverses Murang’a, Machakos, Kirinyaga and Nyeri counties. It starts at the junction with B25 (Kenol) and runs northerly through the trading centres of Makutano, Sagana, Karatina before terminating at Marua (junction A2/B21).
The project is scheduled to be completed in 2025 and will see the road upgraded to a 4-lane highway.
The total cost of the project is EUR 257.68 million. The work is co-financed by the African Development Fund (69%), Africa Growing Together Fund (12%) and Government of Kenya (19%).
