Wachira Mwangi Nation Media                                                                               Photo by Wachira Mwangi, Nation Media Group

 

 

Malindi is a growing town and one of the best places to invest in Kenya. It’s no wonder why the government is directing various development projects in the area. The SalaGate Road is one of those constructions that will make Malindi a great place to invest in real estate.

In early September, president Uhuru Kenyatta officially opened the construction of Sala Gate road, a tarmac road that would link Malindi to the Tsavo East National Park. Tarmacking this road would mean a boost in Tourism for Kilifi and Taita Taveta Counties. The road will cover a distance of 110km and will take 2 to 3 years for the construction to be completed.

The Malindi- SalaGate road was in pathetic condition. Locals, tour operators and hoteliers had urged the government to tarmac the road in order to boost security and provide an easy access to the park. The road had major potholes and insecurity was rampant as attackers would take advantage of the slow-moving tour vans that tried to navigate potholes.

It took 3 to 4 hours to get to the Tsavo East National Park from Malindi due to the poor state of the road. Once the construction is complete, tourists can expect to get to the park from Malindi in less than two hours while enjoying comfort and security all the way. Going for game drives from Malindi will be a pleasant experience for wildlife lovers.

The Malindi SalaGate road is also expected to really transform domestic tourism. Locals from as far as Nairobi can take advantage of this new construction to travel from places like Voi to Malindi instead of having to pass via Mombasa. Voi town can receive more tourists who are on their way to the park or from Mombasa. This would mean a boost in tourism for Taita Taveta county.

The construction of SalaGate road will also save tour operators the huge losses they’ve experienced over the years because of having to maneuver the bad road. Their cars are often exposed to damage and written off within a few years of making trips on that road.

The completion of the SalaGate road is expected to boost trade between Voi and Malindi towns. The road is providing accessibility so that traders can engage and transport their products within reasonable timelines. Malindi will be able to get fresh fruits and vegetables from farmers in Voi.