PHOTOS: Aerial Views Show Steady Progress on Mombasa-Mariakani Dual Carriageway Upgrade

Recent aerial photographs released by Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo show visible headway on the long-running dualling of the Mombasa-Mariakani section of the A8 highway.

The images capture the corridor stretching from the port area through industrial zones and container yards toward Mariakani. One view looks down on a completed multi-lane carriageway running parallel to rows of stacked shipping containers and truck parking lots, with traffic moving in both directions. Adjacent sections display earthworks, graded shoulders, and scattered construction equipment amid unpaved side roads and informal yards.

Omollo described the project as a flagship effort by the Kenya National Highways Authority to upgrade the Mombasa-Kwa Jomvu-Mariakani stretch into a modern dual carriageway. The works aim to reduce congestion around Mombasa and improve access to the port, which handles the bulk of cargo for Kenya and landlocked neighbours via the Northern Corridor.

The upgrade splits into two lots. Lot 1, covering 11.4 kilometres from Mombasa to Kwa Jomvu, has been widened to four to six lanes and is largely finished. Lot 2 extends 30.4 kilometres from Kwa Jomvu to Mariakani as a durable dual carriageway built to handle heavy port trailers and high daily volumes.

Scope includes new bridges, footpaths, improved drainage, and road safety elements such as barriers and signage. The corridor carries thousands of heavy goods vehicles daily, linking the port to inland destinations and regional markets in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern DRC.

The State Department for Internal Security and National Administration has assisted through traffic management, community engagement, and coordination with transport operators to keep cargo flowing with minimal interruptions to local businesses and residents.

Construction has faced typical challenges along urban-adjacent routes, including land use conflicts and the need to maintain partial access during works. The posted images indicate active sites with machinery positioned along unfinished segments, though no specific completion percentage for Lot 2 appears in the update.

This section forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the Northern Corridor's efficiency. Chronic bottlenecks, especially near Jomvu and Mazeras, have long delayed truck movements and raised logistics costs for importers and exporters.

The highway upgrade ties into other coastal infrastructure work, including the separate Mombasa-Kilifi dualling along A7, though the aerials focus squarely on the A8 alignment.

No updated timeline or final handover date was mentioned in the post. Earlier government statements tied resumption of stalled sections to cleared payments, but current visuals suggest momentum on the ground.

The corridor remains Kenya's primary road exit from Mombasa Port, making reliable progress essential for trade volumes that fluctuate with global shipping patterns and regional demand.

Omollo's update underscores continued government involvement in monitoring and supporting the project to deliver safer, faster movement along one of East Africa's busiest freight routes.