New Bypass to Enhance Kenya-Tanzania Cross-Border Trade

The newly completed Dongo Kundu Bypass is set to boost cross-border trade between Kenya and Tanzania at the Lunga-Lunga One Stop Border Post (OSBP). This $307 million infrastructure project, which opened this week, connects directly with the port of Mombasa, allowing goods to move more efficiently between the two countries without using the Likoni ferry.

The bypass, part of the larger 460-kilometre East African Coastal Corridor funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the European Union, links Mombasa to Bagamoyo. The project was awarded to the Fujita Corporation-Mitsubishi Corporation consortium and completed ahead of schedule by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.

Spanning about 17.5 kilometres, the bypass will enhance connectivity with the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and Mombasa International Airport. It includes major bridges such as the Mwache, Tsunza Viaduct, and the Mteza Bridge, which will be the longest bridge over water in the region.

Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) Deputy Director Samuel Ogege confirmed the successful handover of the project, noting that while the bypass is in use, an official opening ceremony will be held later. The toll-free bypass, built with Japanese loans and Kenyan government support, will ease traffic congestion and reduce the need for ferry services.

This development is expected to improve trade between Kenya and Tanzania, with Tanzania exporting agricultural products and Kenya sending manufactured goods and raw materials. The overall Coastal Highway project, covering both countries, is projected to cost $751 million, with AfDB funding 70% and the governments of Kenya and Tanzania covering the remainder.