• Kenya signs deal with South Korea’s YOUNGJIN for Nairobi BRT Line 5
• $59 million Korean loan finances 10.5 km line with 13 stations
• Project aims to reduce congestion, improve connectivity in Nairobi

The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) has announced the signing of an agreement with the South Korean joint venture YOUNGJIN for the construction of Line 5 of Nairobi's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network. The agreement marks progress in the implementation of this phase, which had been delayed for several months following a legal dispute. The dispute was triggered by a complaint from CK Solution Co Ltd, which alleged a lack of transparency in the contract award process.

Line 5 will extend the BRT network being developed in the Nairobi metropolitan area for several years. The project aims to modernize the public transport system and promote more sustainable, reliable and efficient mobility. According to the Ministry of Transport, the line is financed through a $59 million loan from the Export-Import Bank of Korea.

The project includes the construction of a 10.5 km two-lane section, with three river bridges and two road bridges measuring approximately 1,024 m and 323 m respectively. The line will also include 13 stations, new footbridges and electromechanical systems. The infrastructure is expected to improve mobility by reducing congestion, shortening travel times for users and strengthening connectivity in the affected areas.

The high-capacity bus network complements other public transport services such as the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Nairobi. The integration is intended to reduce the number of private vehicles on the roads and the dominance of matatus, privately operated minibuses that account for a large share of urban transport. However, according to local media reports, public transport capacity remains insufficient to ease congestion in the Kenyan capital, which has nearly 5.5 million residents, according to World Population Review.

Henoc Dossa