The upgrade of the multi-billion-shilling Rironi-Nakuru-Mau Summit highway, which is expected to de-congest the Northern Corridor, may take longer than expected, the Nation has learnt.
The 175km highway, set to be built through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, is the main artery from Nairobi to Western Kenya and the neighbouring countries of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Although President William Ruto last week announced that the construction of the key road, which is already behind schedule, will commence this month, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has revealed that key negotiations on implementation of the project were still underway.
“KeNHA wishes to clarify that it evaluated the Project Development Phase (PDP) submissions in accordance with the Public Private Partnerships (PPP) Act and forwarded the evaluation report to the Public Private Partnerships Directorate for review and recommendation to the PPP committee,” Engineer Luka Kimeli, the acting Director General KeNHA, said in a statement.
“Subsequently, the Public Private Partnerships committee, under the National Treasury, concurred that the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the National Social Security Fund Board of Trustees Consortium is the preferred proponent, based on the recommendations of the evaluation report. However, the PPP committee has not yet approved the award for the implementation of the project. The concurrence granted, only allows KeNHA to commence negotiations with the preferred proponent in line with the PPP process. This is the process that is currently ongoing,” explained KeNHA.
Artist’s impression of Nairobi to Mau Summit toll road once it is completed.
Photo credit: Pool
KeNHA further assured the public that it will continue embracing transparency and accountability in every stage of the implementation of the project.
“All progress updates and decisions about the project will be disclosed publicly, in accordance with the PPP Act, Cap 430 and the National Treasury circular dated April 24, 2025, on Public Disclosure of Privately Initiated Proposals (PIPs), further read the statement by KeNHA.”
This means that the upgrade of the highway is likely to commence in 2026, once the PPP committee approves the award for the implementation of the project.
While on a tour of Nakuru County last week, President Ruto said the project will cost between Sh170 billion and Sh200 billion, up from the Sh160 billion offered in an earlier deal that was cancelled.
“The Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit highway upgrade will begin in November 2025,” President Ruto said last week.
“But l do not want the road to end at Mau Summit, it will extend to Kericho, Kisumu and Malaba and also to Eldoret in Uasin Gishu County.”
A cabinet meeting in March had also agreed that the upgrade of the road was to begin on June 1, 2025, and be completed in 24 months.
However, the construction has been delayed on what government says are key stages of the project, which must be followed, according to the PPP Act and the law.
KeNHA on Monday also sought to clarify that although users of the project will pay roll fees, the authority shall map out available alternative roads from Rironi to Mau-Summit for use by the public, who may not want to pay to use the road.
“Users of the road will be required to pay roll fees determined through an approved tariff framework, with rates regulated of ensure affordability, transparency and sustainability, while enabling the private partner to recover investment and maintenance costs during the concession periods. However, alternative roads will be identified from Rironi to Mau-Summit for use by the public, who may not want to pay to use the road,” stated Mr Kimeli.
The PPP committee under the National Treasury has identified China Road and Bridge Corporation Kenya (CRBC) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Consortium as the preferred proponent of the project
However, the PPP committee has not approved the award for implementation of the project.
The project comprises two main sections. The first, the A8 Section, extends from the Rironi interchange to the Mau Summit turnoff through Nakuru, covering a distance of approximately 174.9 kilometres. The second, the A8 South Section, runs from the Rironi interchange to the Naivasha interchange via Mai Mahiu, spanning approximately 58 kilometres.
According to KeNHA, the upgrade will include widening the existing two-way single carriageway into a four-lane carriageway from Rironi to Naivasha and six lanes from Naivasha to Nakuru City, to ease congestion and enhance connectivity across the corridor that links Nairobi to Western Kenya.
The project will also contain infrastructural improvements including the upgrade of existing interchanges and construction of new ones; reinforcement of embankments; construction of retaining walls where necessary; and installation of street lighting and high mast lighting.
The upgrade will also involve installation of wildlife and livestock crossing points, provision of bus bays, shelters and truck lay-byes as well as construction of underpasses and overpasses.
The government in May 2025 cancelled a deal with French companies due to affordability concerns, which required additional debt and budget allocations to finance the construction. It now seeks to sign a deal with Chinese contractors to upgrade the busy highway.
In September, KeNHA conducted a stakeholders public participation exercise before the implementation of the project kicks off.
In March, the Cabinet approved the dualling of the busy highway.
“Cabinet has directed the finalisation of the construction framework and the groundbreaking of the 175km Rironi-Mau Summit Road by June 1, 2025,” read a communique by the Cabinet.
However, the Cabinet did not disclose specific details about the financing model or the firms involved in executing the project.
The key road stretches across the most densely populated parts of the country, beginning in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital and commercial nerve centre, and traversing counties of Kiambu and Nakuru, agricultural zones, wildlife reserves and tourism centres. Its upgrade would greatly improve the country’s economic fortunes.
The road is expected to decongest the existing highway and Nakuru City, as well as enhance efficiency of cargo transport to Western Kenya and other East African countries.
The Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret highway, which is part of the Northern Corridor, is the most important road to Western Kenya and the artery that connects Kenya and the landlocked countries of Uganda, Southern Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi.
The road is used for transporting most of the West-bound cargo that originate from the Port of Mombasa and Nairobi Metropolitan.
The expansion of the Rironi-Nakuru-Mai Mahiu, part of the Northern Corridor, has been necessitated by high congestion along the busy route.
The road currently carries an estimated 20,000 vehicles per day, a number that is expected to grow by four percent annually.
Motorists along the Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret highway have frequently blamed KeNHA for heavy and frequent traffic jams along the road.
Traffic snarl-ups, especially during the holidays, sometimes stretch to almost five kilometres on both sides of the highway, often forcing motorists to use alternative routes.
But the planned upgrade of the highway and the interchanges at various places including Kunste, Njoro, Eveready and Kibunjia, will provide a sigh of relief to travellers.
A study by IBM Corporation in 2012 revealed that Kenya loses Sh50 million in a day due to time wasted on the road during heavy traffic jams.
The highway has also become notorious with deadly accidents claiming hundreds of lives along various blackspots. Upgrading the road has been touted as a cure to frequent accidents.
A World Bank-funded feasibility study conducted between 2015 and 2016 informed the decision to upgrade the road, to accommodate traffic capacity and enhance connectivity.
