Kei Emmanuel Duku
Minister of Roads and Bridges, Simon Mijak Mijok, met with his Kenyan counterpart, Davis Chirechir, last week to discuss the upcoming construction of the Nadapal-Eldoret Corridor.
The project, which aims to connect Kenya to South Sudan through Kapoeta and Juba, is expected to boost regional trade and transportation.
The meeting follows recent discussions between Presidents Salva Kiir Mayardit and William Ruto, who agreed to prioritize the road project.
The World Bank is set to provide financing for the 11-kilometer Nadapal-Nakadok section of the corridor.
During the meeting in Nairobi, the two Ministers of Roads discussed and reiterated their respective government plans to start the construction process for the Eldoret-Nadapal-Kapoeta-Torit-Juba Corridor as agreed by the two Presidency. However, there is a need for more consultation between the two Heads of State to agree on the working modalities before the construction work kicks offer.
After their meeting in Juba last week, the two Head of the States directed two Ministers of Roads from South Sudan and Kenya to start negotiations with the World Bank regional office in Kenya on the way forward of financing and building the 11 Kilometer road section between Nadapal and Nakadok.
However, the construction plan of Nadapal-Nakadok was received with mixed reactions by a section of residents from Greater Kapoeta in Eastern Equatoria State.
According to the locals, the plan to construct the 11-kilometer road from Kenya to South Sudan is a planned move by the Kenyan government to annex part of their land to Kenya.
The South Sudan Minister of Roads and Bridges was accompanied by Eng. Kenyatta Warille, the Executive Director of South Sudan Roads Authority, Eng. James Alam, Director General for Planning and Policy Formulation in the National Ministry of Roads and Bridges while Eng. Joseph Mbugua and Eng. Kung’u Ndung’u, the Principal Secretary and Director General for Kenya National Highway Authority respectively were also present in the meeting.