Rironi–Mau Summit Road expansion to start August amid contractor uncertainty
CS Davis Chirchir told the Senate on Wednesday that the Public-Private Partnership Directorate is still finalising the procurement process and evaluating several proposals. Despite earlier expectations, Chirchir confirmed that no contractor has been awarded the job yet.
The long-delayed expansion of the Rironi–Naivasha–Mau Summit and Rironi–Mai Mahiu–Naivasha roads is expected to kick off next month, even as it emerged that no contractor has been selected for the massive project.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir told the Senate on Wednesday that the Public-Private Partnership Directorate is still finalising the procurement process and evaluating several proposals. Despite earlier expectations, Chirchir confirmed that no contractor has been awarded the job yet.
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“As we speak, we don’t have a contractor. They are currently being evaluated through the PPP process. They are at the development phase,” he said.
The road's expansion, part of the Northern Corridor connecting Nairobi to the western parts of Kenya and neighbouring countries, is considered urgent due to frequent and severe traffic jams along the route, especially on weekends and holidays.
“We are working with speed because we appreciate that Kenyans have suffered on this road with the kind of congestion. Sometimes people are sleeping on the road,” Chirchir said.
He added that the government anticipates breaking ground before the end of August, should the procurement process conclude successfully.
“We plan to undertake the dualing of the Rironi–Nakuru and Nakuru–Eldoret highways under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) process. We have gotten several concession proponents and are currently going through the development phase. We expect to break ground before the end of August, if all goes well,” Chirchir told senators.
The planned works include a 175-kilometre stretch of the A8 highway, which is to be expanded into four lanes. Construction is expected to last 24 months, with a completion target of June 2027. Once completed, motorists will be required to pay toll fees per the National Tolling Policy.
The Cabinet Secretary also revealed plans for a new bypass, A8 South, around Rironi, Mai Mahiu, and Naivasha to ease congestion in those areas. Like the main A8 route, the bypass will also be dualled.
According to the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), three privately initiated proposals have been submitted for the project. These include submissions from Multiplex Partners Company, China Road and Bridge Corporation, and Shandong Hi-Speed Road and Bridge International Company.
KeNHA noted that proposals from China Road and Bridge Corporation and Shandong Hi-Speed Road and Bridge International were approved by authorities on July 22, giving them a head start in the planning stages. Multiplex Partners' proposal is still under review.
The project has experienced significant setbacks. In April this year, KeNHA terminated a Ksh190 billion agreement with a French firm initially hired to carry out the road expansion. This followed a review triggered by concerns raised by KeNHA officials.
Despite these hurdles, Chirchir assured that the government has cleared substantial pending payments to unlock several stalled roads, adding momentum to the broader push for improved transport infrastructure.
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