Written by: Yunus Kemp
Kenya and the European Union have entered into a $378.8 million financing agreement to construct an electric bus line in Nairobi.
The line will be the first dedicated electric bus rapid lane in East Africa and is part of a system of five rapid bus lines to be developed in the Kenyan capital.
It is expected to be operational in 2030.
The buses are set to run on green renewable electricity produced in Kenya, with fares affordable for “youth, women, low-income households and people living with disabilities.”
It is envisaged that the line would carry up to 300,000 daily commuters, with an electric bus running every three minutes during peak hours.
The agreement was concluded in Brussels on Thursday during a meeting between Kenyan President William Ruto and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen The two had discussed “… opportunities to drive the green and digital transitions in Kenya under Global Gateway.”
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After which EU commissioner Jutta Urpilainen and Kenya’s Transport cabinet secretary Kipchumba Murkomen signed a declaration of intention to finance the line, which will be called the Nairobi Core Bus Rapid Transit Line 3 (BRT 3).
The EU said the BRT line 3 project is a “key deliverable of the Mombasa-Kisangani strategic corridors, which is a priority in the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package.”
Electric bus line to be built in Nairobi through EU, Kenya partnership
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Written by: Yunus Kemp
Kenya and the European Union have entered into a $378.8 million financing agreement to construct an electric bus line in Nairobi.
The line will be the first dedicated electric bus rapid lane in East Africa and is part of a system of five rapid bus lines to be developed in the Kenyan capital.
It is expected to be operational in 2030.
The buses are set to run on green renewable electricity produced in Kenya, with fares affordable for “youth, women, low-income households and people living with disabilities.”
It is envisaged that the line would carry up to 300,000 daily commuters, with an electric bus running every three minutes during peak hours.
The agreement was concluded in Brussels on Thursday during a meeting between Kenyan President William Ruto and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen The two had discussed “… opportunities to drive the green and digital transitions in Kenya under Global Gateway.”
Have you read
East Africa’s transition to Electric Vehicles is speeding up
After which EU commissioner Jutta Urpilainen and Kenya’s Transport cabinet secretary Kipchumba Murkomen signed a declaration of intention to finance the line, which will be called the Nairobi Core Bus Rapid Transit Line 3 (BRT 3).
The EU said the BRT line 3 project is a “key deliverable of the Mombasa-Kisangani strategic corridors, which is a priority in the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package.”
Electric bus line to help reduce pollution and traffic gridlock in Nairobi
The Bus Rapid Transit Line is fully designed by European expertise and funded by a consortium of Team Europe partners. It has a strong focus on the highest social and environmental standards.
The project will be funded through a $49m grant from the EU, $257.3m from the European Investment Bank and the French Development Agency AFD; and $72.2m from the Kenyan government.
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The EU said promoting mass rapid transit “will help cut commuting time, curb pollution, reduce traffic accidents and increase travellers’ safety.”
“Over the last 10 years, EU has worked with the Kenyan government by offering technical assistance to the Kenyan transport sector.
“One of the outcomes is the creation of the Nairobi Metropolitan Transport Authority (NaMATA), as a government body. NaMATA will be the institutional counterpart to run this BRT 3 operation with the EU.”