Kenya’s type A, B and C Road maps.

Authorities
Ministry of Roads and Public Works
Title: Public Communications Manager
Name: Ali Chege
Address: Ministry of Works Building, Ngong Road, P.O. Box 30260 – 00100, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 020 272 3101
Fax: +254 20 272 3109
Email: info@roadsnet.go.ke
Website: www.roads.go.ke

Road Construction / Maintenance

Road Construction / Maintenance Contacts
Kenya Roads Board
Name: Engineer Njonge
Address: 3rd Floor, Kenya Re Towers, Off Ragati Rd, Upper Hill Area, P.O. Box 73718 – 00200, Nairobi
Tel: +254 020 498 0000 Cell: +254 733 334 422
Fax: +254 20 498 0009
Email:info@krb.go.ke
Website: www.krb.go.ke
The History of KRB dates back to 1992 when the Kenya Government together with the Road
Maintenance Initiative (RMI) and the World Bank hosted a Road Sector Stakeholders Seminar to
address the deteriorating condition of the road network and the constraints to proper road
maintenance. The identified constraints were institutional, managerial and financial

It was resolved that a sustainable source of funding to be established and the existing road
management institutional set-up be reviewed. In 1993 the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF) Act
was enacted, providing a sustainable source of funding for the maintenance of the road network

In 1995, with assistance of the European Commission, the Road Sector Institutional Study was
commissioned. Its objective was to identify the most appropriate institutional framework within
which the management of Kenya’s entire road network would be most effectively undertaken. The
study recommended the formation of an executive roads board, working together with identified
road agencies to effectively deliver an efficient road transport system for road users in Kenya; hence
the Kenya Roads Board was formed. The mandate of the board is to
 Administer the funds derived from the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF) and any other
funds that may accrue to it.

 Coordinate the development, rehabilitation and maintenance of the road network, with a view
to achieving efficiency, cost effectiveness and safety.

 Coordinate the implementation of all policies relating to the development, rehabilitation and
maintenance of the road network.

 Determine the allocation of financial resources from the RMLF or from any other source
available to the Board required by road agencies for the development, rehabilitation and
maintenance of the road network.
  Monitor the operations or activities undertaken by road agencies in the development,
rehabilitation and maintenance of the Kenyan road network

Kenya National Highways Authority

Title: DG
Name: Eng. M.O. Kidenda
Address: Kenya National Highways Authority, (KeNHA) 6th Floor, BlueShield Towers, Hospital Road,
Upperhill, P.O. Box 48151-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 20 801 3842
Fax: +254 20 801 3842
Email: dg@kenha.co.ke, info@kenha.co.ke
Website: www.kenha.co.ke
An autonomous road agency, responsible for the management, development, rehabilitation and
maintenance of international trunk roads linking centres of international importance and crossing
international boundaries or terminating at international ports (Class A roads), national trunk roads
linking internationally important centres (Class B roads), and primary roads linking provincially
important centres to each other or two higher-classroads (Class C roads)

KeNHA
RegionalOffices: http://www.kenha.co.ke/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23&Ite
mid=31&limitstart=1

Kenya Rural Roads Authority

Title: DG
Name: Eng. Joseph Nkadayo
Address: Kenya Rural Roads Authority, (KeRRA) 6th Floor, Blueshield Towers, Upperhill, P.O. Box
48151, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 20 801 3844
Fax: +254 20 801 3844
Email: dg@kura.go.ke, info@kura.go.ke
Website: www.kura.go.ke
KURA is responsible for: o constructing, upgrading, rehabilitating and maintaining roads under its
control o Controlling urban road reserves and access to roadside developments o implementing roads
policies in relation to urban roads o Ensuring adherence by motorists to the rules and guidelines on
axle load control

Kenya Urban Roads Authority

Title: DG
Name: Eng. Joseph Nkadayo
Address: Kenya Urban Roads Authority, (KURA) 2nd Floor, IKM Place, 5th Ngong Avenue, P.O. Box
41727, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 20 801 3844
Fax: +254 20 801 3844
Email: dg@kura.go.ke, info@kura.go.ke
Website: www.kura.go.ke
KURA is responsible for:
o Constructing, upgrading, rehabilitating and maintaining roads under its control
o Controlling urban road reserves and access to roadside developments
o Implementing roads policies in relation to urban roads
o Ensuring adherence by motorists to the rules and guidelines on axle load control
Weighbridges and Axle Load Limits
Maximum Permissible Axle Loads
Kenya – Maximum Permissible Axle Loads (kgs)

Single Steering Axle (2 wheels – single tyres) 8,000

Single Steering Axle (4 wheels – dual tyres) 10,000

Tandem Axle Group (8 wheels – dual tyres) 16,000

Triple Axle Group (12 wheels – dual tyres) 24,000

Axle Load Limits

Kenya – Axle Load Limits (kgs)

Machine Error
Axle Group Legal Limit (kg) Allowable Axle Load
Allowance

Single Steering Axle 8,000 0 8,000

Single Rear Axle 10,000 400 10,400

Tandem Rear Axle 16,000 600 16,600

Triple Rear Axle 24,000 800 24,800

Overloading Fine Schedule

Kenya – Overloading Fine Schedule

Subsequent
Degree of Axle Overloading First Conviction (KES)
Convictions

Less than 1,000 kg 5,000 10,000

1,000 kg or more but less than 2,000 kg 10,000 20,000

2,000 kg or more but less than 3,000 kg 15,000 30,000

3,000 kg or more but less than 4,000 kg 20,000 40,000

4,000 kg or more but less than 5,000 kg 30,000 60,000

5,000 kg or more but less than 6,000 kg 50,000 100,000

6,000 kg or more but less than 7,000 kg 75,000 150,000

7,000 kg or more but less than 8,000 kg 100,000 200,000

8,000 kg or more but less than 9,000 kg 150,000 300,000

9,000 kg or more but less than 10,000 kg 175,000 350,000

10,000 kg or more 200,000 400,000

For details on Weighbridges:

www.kenha.co.ke/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=41&Itemid=52&showall=1
Principal Transport Corridors in Kenya
Kenya – Principal Transport Corridors (Distances are calculated using Google Earth)

Mombassa – Nairobi (487 kms)

 This is a primary tarmac road in good condition along most parts thanks to major funding by
the European Union
 The average transit time for loaded trucks is 1 day
Mombasa – Voi – Mwatate – Taveta & Tanzania (267 kms)

 This sector is a combination of primary and secondary roads

 The tarmac road is in fair condition up to Mwatate but thereafter it is an earth road and the
transit time is 1 day
Mombasa – Ukunda – Lunga Lunga & Tanzania (138 kms)

 This sector is a combination of tarmac and murram roads with murram between Ukunda and
Lunga Lunga
 There is a crossing where a ferry is used specifically for the carriage of trucks which takes
about one hour
 The average transit time is 1 day
Nairobi – Kajiado – Namanga & Tanzania (163 kms)

 Tarmac road in good condition and the average transit time is 1 day
Nairobi – Nanyuki – Isiolo – Marsabit – Moyale & Ethiopia (784 kms)

 From Nairobi to Isiolo it is a primary tarmac road in good condition.

 The Sagana to Nyeri area is quite hilly and the average transit time is 1 day
 The Isiolo - Marsabit – Moyale sector is a tertiary road that has very bad sections between
Isiolo and Marsabit, particularly during the rainy season where trucks can get stuck up to 48
hours until the road dries up
 Trucks of up to 15 mt capacity are generally in use after Isiolo
 The average transit time is 3 – 4 days
Nairobi - Nakuru - Eldoret - Lodwar - Kakuma – Lokichoggio & Sudan (838 kms)

 Primary paved road in fair to bad condition with severely broken tarmac around the Timboroa
area
 The average transit time is 5 days during the dry season without the bottleneck at Ortum
Bridge
 The total transit time is 3 – 4 days
Nairobi - Naivasha - Nakuru - Kisumu (346 kms)

 A primary tarmac road where the condition is good to Nakuru due to road reconstruction
 From Nakuru to Kisumu the condition is not as good and is quite hilly in sections which reduces
travel speed
 The average transit time is 1 day
Nairobi - Nakuru - Timboroa - Eldoret - Malaba & Uganda (440 kms)

 This is a primary tarmac road in good condition

 The section in the Timboroa area between Eldoret and Malaba is not good
 Between Molo and Eldoret the road undulates and the average transit time is 1 day
Nairobi – Garissa – Dadaab – Liboi & Somalia (546 kms)
 Kenya – Principal Transport Corridors (Distances are calculated using Google Earth)

 The Nairobi – Garissa sector is an all-weather tarmac road

 The Garissa – Dadaab section is not paved but is generally well maintained but is often
damaged by flooding
 The Dadaab – Liboi section is in very poor condition caused by flooding and washouts during
the rainy seasons
 This route is used during the rainy season as an alternative to Malindi - Hola - Dadaab route
 The average transit time is 2 – 3 days
Mombasa – Malindi – Garsen – Hola – Garissa – Dadaab – Liboi & Somalia (645 kms)

 From Mombasa to Garsen the road is a paved all weather road but is in poor condition
 The 91 km section from Garsen to Hola (see photo below) is an earth road which is impassable
during wet seasons
 From Hola to Garissa the road is paved and is generally in good condition.
 This route is used only during the dry season and the average transit time is 3 – 4 days
Garissa – Wajir – El Wak – Mandera & Somalia (705 kms)

 Tertiary road, the section between Modogashi to Habaswein where the road crosses the Lorian
Swamp becomes impassable when the swamp fills with water (See photo below)
 The Wajir to El Wak section also becomes impassable during the rainy season
 The sector from El Wak to Mandera was once a tarmac road but due to a lack of maintenance
the tarmac was removed leaving a firm murram base which is rough in places and travel
speeds are slow
 There are many hilly sections about mid way where seasonal rivers dissect the road and cause
many washouts
Notes to Consider

 The paved roads suffer from cracking and structural destabilization to the asphalt surfaces,
especially in heavy traffic routes such as the Mombasa - Buchuma, Machakos turn-off – Nairobi
(on the Mombasa Road), Molo – Kericho and the Nairobi – Thika roads. This has become
particularly pronounced due to the increasing deterioration of the rail network

Mombasa to Mandera
The road from the Port of Mombasa to Mandera is one of the principal corridors in Kenya as
it serves the districts of Kilifi, Tana River, Ijara, Garissa, Wajir, Moyale and Mandera,
locations where there is considerable humanitarian assistance

Kenya – Transport Corridors: Mombasa to Mandera (Somalia Border)

Origin Destination

Town or city (closest) Mombasa Mandera

Latitude 04° 02’ 47.80” S 03° 56’ 01.00” N

Longitude 39° 38’ 56.00” E 41° 52’ 11.30” E

Total Distance 1,173 km

Jan – Mar Apr – Jun Jul – Sep Oct – Nov

Dry Season 6 6 6 6
Kenya – Transport Corridors: Mombasa to Mandera (Somalia Border)

Transit time for

Wet Season trucks & trailers +10 +10 +10 +10
(Days)

 This road can also used as the entry point to Somalia at Liboi, El Wak and Mandera
Total route time 4x4 (Days) 3 4 3 4

Car    
Passable by:
4x4    
(over full
Truck    
distance)
Trailer    

This sector is very long at over 1,300 kms so there are a range of different road surfaces along
the route
Key locations where seasonal constraints occur are;
1. Garsen – Hola 2. Modogashe – Habaswein 3. Wajir – El Wak 4. Ramu – Mandera
All of these sections are unpaved dirt tracks and during the wet seasons are often impassable to
trucks

Section 1: From Garsen to Hola

Distance from Mombasa to Garsen 230 kms

Distance from Garsen to Hola 100 kms

Route time on this stretch (4x4) –

During dry season 2-3 hours
Hours

Class of road  Highway Primary Secondary Track

Surface Asphalt Concrete Gravel  Dirt

Possible
 Mud  Flooded Snow/Ice
conditions

Wet season
Car  4x4 Truck
access

 The Garsen – Hola sector is a particularly troublesome road, it is more of a dirt track with no
base of foundation
 When dry it is passable but during periods of rain it immediately becomes impassable and the
alternate route is via Nairobi which adds several days to the transit time (See photo)
Section 2: From Modogashe to Habaswein

Distance from Mombasa to

624 kms
Modogashe

Distance from Modogashe to

50 kms
Habaswein
Kenya – Transport Corridors: Mombasa to Mandera (Somalia Border)

Route time on this stretch (4x4) –

During dry season 2-3 hours
Hours

Class of road  Highway Primary Secondary Track

Surface Asphalt Concrete  Gravel  Dirt

Possible
 Mud  Flooded Snow/Ice
conditions

Wet season
Car  4x4 Truck
access

 The section between Modogashe to Habaswein is where the road crosses the Lorian Swamp
 The swamp only floods during the wet seasons and when flooded the road becomes very
difficult to cross (See photo)
Section 3: From Wajir to El Wak

Distance from Mombasa to Wajir 783 kms

Distance from Wajir to El Wak 178 kms

Route time on this stretch (4x4) –

During dry season 5-6 hours
Hours

Class of road  Highway Primary Secondary Track

Surface Asphalt Concrete Gravel  Dirt

Possible
 Mud  Flooded Snow/Ice
conditions

Wet season
Car  4x4 Truck
access

 From Wajir to El Wak the road is in very poor condition that becomes deep mud during wet
seasons
Section 4: From Ramu to Mandera

Distance from Mombasa to Ramu 1,099 kms

Distance from Ramu to Mandera 75 kms

Route time on this stretch (4x4) –

During dry season 2-3 hours
Hours

Class of road  Highway Primary Secondary Track

Surface Asphalt Concrete  Gravel Dirt

Possible
Mud  Flooded Snow/Ice
conditions

Wet season
Car  4x4 Truck
access
 Kenya – Transport Corridors: Mombasa to Mandera (Somalia Border)

 The stretch of road from Ramu to Mandera is hilly in places and dissected by many seasonal
rivers that during the wet seasons will flood and wash the road away
 The Ministry of Public Works maintain equipment at Ramu to keep the road passable during
the wet seasons

Mombasa to Moyale
 The road from the Mombasa to Moyale (via Nairobi, Isiolo and Marsabit) is a principal
humanitarian transportcorridor; it serves the districts of Embu, Meru, Isiolo, Laikipia,
Samburu, Marsabit and Moyale, locations where there is considerable humanitarian
activity

Kenya – Transport Corridors: Mombasa to Moyale (Ethiopian Border)

Origin Destination

Town or city (closest) Mombasa Moyale

Latitude 04° 02’ 47.80” S 03° 31’ 41.40” N

Longitude 39° 38’ 56.00” E 39° 03’ 09.11” E

Total Distance 1,034 km

Jan – Mar Apr – Jun Jul – Sep Oct – Nov

Dry Season Transit time for 4 4 4 4

trucks & trailers
Wet Season (Days) +10 +10 +10 +10

Total route time 4x4 (Days) 2 3 2 3

Car    
Passable by:
4x4    
(over full
Truck    
distance)
Trailer    

 Generally this road remains passable during all seasons as it is designated as the Trans East
African Highway from Nairobi to Addis Ababa, although unpaved north of Isiolo it does receive
regular maintenance
 By June 2011 about half the distance from Isolio to marsabit had been paved
Section 1: From Isiolo to Marsabit

Distance from Mombasa to Isiolo 753 km

Distance from Isiolo to Marsabit 261 km

Route time on this stretch (4x4) –

During dry season 5-6 hours
Hours

Class of road  Highway Primary Secondary Track

 Kenya – Transport Corridors: Mombasa to Moyale (Ethiopian Border)

Surface Asphalt Concrete  Gravel Dirt

Possible
 Mud  Flooded Snow/Ice
conditions

Wet season
 Car  4x4  Truck
access

 North of Isiolo the road is unpaved and transit times can vary a lot
Section 2: From Marsabit to Moyale

Distance from Mombasa to Marsabit 1,011 km

Distance from Marsabit to Moyale 250 km

Route time on this stretch (4x4) –

During dry season 8-9 hours
Hours

Class of road  Highway Primary Secondary Track

Surface Asphalt Concrete  Gravel  Dirt

Possible
 Mud  Flooded Snow/Ice
conditions

Wet season
Car  4x4 Truck
access

 The road north from Marsabit is generally flat and is no problem until Sololo which is about
80 kms from Moyale
 From Sololo to Moyale the road surface is gravel or sand/dirt which is very difficult to pass
during wet seasons and driving times can be very slow

Mombasa to Lokichoggio
 The road from the Mombasa to Lokichoggio (via Nairobi) is another principal
humanitarian corridor in Kenya as well as being the main overland corridor to South
Sudan. In Kenya it serves the districts of Baringo, West Pokot and Turkana, locations
where there is considerable humanitarian assistance

Kenya – Transport Corridors: Mombasa to Lokichoggio (Sudan Border)

Origin Destination

Town or city (closest) Mombasa Lokichoggio

Latitude 04° 02’ 47.80” S 04° 26’ 38.00” N

Longitude 39° 38’ 56.00” E 34° 13’ 12.00” E

Total Distance 1,358 km

Jan – Mar Apr – Jun Jul – Sep Oct – Nov

Dry Season 3-4 3-4 3-4 3-4

Kenya – Transport Corridors: Mombasa to Lokichoggio (Sudan Border)

Transit time for

Wet Season trucks & trailers +10 +10 +10 +10
(Days)

Total route time 4x4 (Days) 2 3 2 3

Car    
Passable by:
4x4    
-over full
Truck (rigid)    
distance
Trailer    

Section 1: From Kitale to Lodwar

Distance from Mombasa to Kitale 869 kms

Distance from Kitale to Lodwar 297 kms

Route time on this stretch (4x4) –

8 hours
Hours

Class of road  Highway Primary Secondary Track

Surface Asphalt Concrete  Gravel Dirt

Possible
 Mud Flooded Snow/Ice
conditions

Wet season
 Car  4x4  Truck
access
Seasonal Affects on Transport in Eastern and Western Kenya

Primary Road Transport

 Kenya has many roads constructed largely of earth that can become impassable during the
rain seasons. Obviously this can have a dramatic impact on the road and transport
infrastructure but has little or no direct influence on the efficiency of air and rail networks
Eastern Kenya

 The primary transport of relief commodities to Dadaab refugee camps is hampered every year
during the Long and Short rain seasons due to the road's temporary construction standards and
its current deteriorated condition between Garissa and Dadaab. Sections of the road are often
washed away and trucks often get stuck, sometimes for as much as several weeks

 The primary transport from Mombasa to Tana River, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera Districts is via
Malindi, Garsen, Hola and Garissa. The road becomes impassable for heavy trucks, particularly
between Garsen and Hola, a distance of 91 km. The smaller trucks also face difficulties
resulting in long transit time delays

Western Kenya

 The road between Ortum, Marich Pass and Lokichar experiences major difficulties at different
road sections due to unusual heavy rains in the region. The combination of the lack of
maintenance, overloaded trucks and increased traffic over the years due to the humanitarian
aid destined for Kakuma (Kenya PRRO operations) and Lokichoggio (South Sudan Operations)
has resulted in deterioration of the road in many places

 The bridge at Ortum (north of Kitale) is often washed away which creates serious transport
delays. In such circumstances a provisional bailey bridge is installed and an earth by-pass road
is created to allow traffic to pass, nevertheless, transport problems and delays do persist at
Ortum area during the wet seasons

 Competition for road capacity is becoming more and more of an issue as South Sudan and D.R.
Congo continue to develop. The entry point for almost all commodities for the vast hinterland
enters through the Port of Mombasa. There are increasing volumes of containerised freight as
well as wheat, fertiliser, cement and other various construction commodities which are
required to sustain this development. Previously a lot of this was moved by rail but due to the
decline in the railways this is now moved by road so capacity is more of a problem

 Fertilizer imports occur predominantly in the first quarter of the year, particularly in February
and March, and during July and August and grain imports occur throughout the year. There are
also increasing quantities of export commodities such as tea, coffee, sugar, cement, and
fertiliser which are attractive commodities for transporters to handle as well as increasing the
pressure on an already congested Port of Mombasa