Kenya’s BRT development project, a potential transportation system, or a failed project?

Kenya's current BRT progress on Outer Ring Road. Photography; ntvkenya.co.ke

Over the last decade, urbanization has rapidly increased in Kenya as more people migrate into cities. The effect of urbanization has been greatly experienced, with high traffic congestion rates in this region due to the use of private cars, poor infrastructure, and a lack of effective mass transportation systems in the city. Currently, one of the most popular means of transportation are Matatus, with a capacity of up to 14 people travelling around Nairobi for a fair price. Transportation in the city is quite inefficient, and will not meet the country’s 2030 plan of low-carbon transportation at this rate, so, it is for this reason that the government is implementing a BRT.

The BRT system will have G0 buses overall, a capacity of 1G0 passengers per bus picking and dropping people at points linked to footbridges for easy access, with 3 transportation corridors; Athi River, Thika Town, and JKIA airport. However, since the announcements of the BRT in 2020, progress has been slow, despite plans to begin operations in mid-2022. A previous BRT was to be constructed on Thika Road but has since been abandoned due to budget cuts. This article will discuss the project's potential benefits and setbacks in Nairobi.

One aspect that must be discussed is the project’s effect on the local community of Nairobi. The BRT is designed to improve the overall quality of life in the city, as it will result in faster transportation, fewer wait times, and job promotions. Currently, Nairobi has a population of 1 million people who travel within the city during the day (a daytime population of 5 Million vs a nighttime population of 4 million), and so the system will ensure faster travel times, reducing the strain on current transport systems. A report published by The Global Labour Institute highlights that job growth is likely to increase, stating that “The total number of people directly employed in the sector was estimated to be around 185,000… and a further 150,000 or more additional jobs”[Nairobi BRT, 2019]. This means greater work opportunities, due to the BRT's affordability and accessibility, further improving the productivity of Nairobi’s society.

However, it’s important to look at the alternative effect of this project on current methods of transport, more specifically, Matatus. The Global Labour Institute assessed that 42.1% of Matatu workers believe that the BRT would result in a loss of jobs, and in Kenya matatu workers are heavily reliant on this industry for their livelihood. So, the BRT could potentially impact the lives of many Matatu workers who may have less business and are already disadvantaged because many of them haven’t completed school. Furthermore, in terms of the impact on the economy, the project has generated no revenue so far, but the government has decided to invest Sh9.5 billion into it. The cost per trip will be around ksh150. This underlines the positive potential that the project can have on the local economy to pay of the cost.

Another aspect to be taken into account is the progress on the BRT, which has been slow and ongoing for the last few years. As a result, criticisms have arisen for this project, as the current status of the system is incomplete, and investors are still being looked for, but funding from The European Union, The European Investment Bank (EIB), and other investors has occurred so far. The overall project is very costly at around ksh100 billion ($777 million), which is billions more than what it had initially set out to be, additionally, there are worries over the commuter cost, as ksh150 is more expensive than what the average commuters pay for Matatus. The debt this project will have since the state is borrowing over 75% of the total cost from investors is also a worry. In terms of environmental impacts, this project will reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, often caused by private cars in urban neighbourhoods, but there are concerns about the removal of trees for construction along the corridor. Nevertheless, The project as a whole aims to contribute significantly to environmental sustainability.

Ultimately, like many projects globally, there are certain unfavourable aspects to the construction of this BRT, such as costs, environmental impacts, and impacts on jobs, but the potential to revolutionize transportation in Nairobi outweighs the negative impacts. Granted that this long-awaited project gets completed, Nairobi can become a more sustainable and effective city, where people can move to and from at faster hours, with improvements in commuters' daily income, and a community of healthy individuals, further improving the quality of life. If this project becomes a reality, it will take Nairobi one step closer to Kenya’s 2030 Vision, and create a more sustainable future.

Reference List

AGEWA MAGUT (2018). BRT plan to cost Sh100 billion, experts say. [online] Business Daily. Available at: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/news/brt-plan-to-cost-sh100-billion-experts-say-222642 6#google_vignette [Accessed 1 Nov. 2024].

CAMBODIA Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Plus System for the Nairobi Metropolitan Region A look at the numbers How much will the NAMA cost? Who is involved? (2020). [online] unfccc.

Available at: https://unfccc.int/files/focus/mitigation/application/pdf/nama_proposal_poster_kenya_brt_cop2.pdf  [Accessed 1 Nov. 2024].

Kenya’s government will contribute only 19.1% of the cost of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) lane in Nairobi. (2023). [Infrographic] Available at:

https://intelpoint.co/insights/kenyas-government-will-contribute-only-19-1-of-the-cost-of-the-bu s-rapid-transport-brt-lane-in-nairobi/ [Accessed 1 Nov. 2024].

KIMUYU, H. (2024). NTV Kenya: State invites bids to construct Sh7.6bn BRT along Outer Ring Road. [online] NTV Kenya. Available at:

https://ntvkenya.co.ke/news/state-invites-bids-to-construct-sh7-6bn-brt-along-outer-ring-road/ [Accessed 1 Nov. 2024].

KINYANJUI, M. (2021). BRT stations to be connected to electricity. [online] The Star. Available at: https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2021-12-16-brt-stations-to-be-connected-to-electricity [Accessed 1 Nov. 2024].

Mwanika , J., Kamau, A., et al. (2019). Nairobi Bus Rapid Transit Labour Impact Assessment Research Report. [online] Global Labour Institute, Manchester: Global Labour Institute, p.81. Available at: https://gli-manchester.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Nairobi-Bus-Rapid-Transit-Report.pdf [Accessed 1 Nov. 2024].

Mwanika, J.,et al. (2018). Nairobi Bus Rapid Transit Labour Impact Assessment. [online] Manchester: Global Labour Institute, p.36. Available at: https://gli-manchester.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/nairobi-brt-labour-impact-assessment-.pdf [Accessed 1 Nov. 2024].

Vision2030.go.ke. (2017). Nairobi Metropolitan Region Bus Rapid Transit System | Kenya Vision 2030. [online] Available at: https://vision2030.go.ke/project/nairobi-metropolitan-growth-and-development-strategy/ [Accessed 1 Nov. 2024].