President Ruto launches Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit, Maai Mahiu–Naivasha road projects
The Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Road stretches 175 kilometres, while the Nairobi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha Road covers 58 kilometres.
Kenya has taken a bold step toward transforming its transport infrastructure with the launch of the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Road and the Nairobi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha project.
President William Ruto on Friday described the roads as more than just transport corridors, calling them “a gateway to prosperity, unity, and transformation” that will modernise Kenya’s transport system and boost regional trade.
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Speaking at the launch, Ruto highlighted the challenges that have held back major infrastructure projects for decades.
“For decades, our country has been trapped between options that have held back progress,” he said, noting that relying on the national budget or borrowing would have either stalled the project indefinitely or increased the debt burden. “If we did nothing, we would have surrendered to stagnation."
The Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Road stretches 175 kilometres, while the Nairobi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha Road covers 58 kilometres.
Both roads are being developed as modern dual carriageways through a Public–Private Partnership model, with an investment exceeding 170 billion shillings.
The projects aim to improve safety and efficiency with interchanges, truck laybys, pedestrian bridges, lighting, drainage systems, and intelligent transport technology.
“These upgrades will unlock faster, safer, and more efficient movement of people and goods, not only across Kenya, but across East and Central Africa,” Ruto said, emphasising the roads’ role in linking Kenya to Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
President William Ruto joins the choir in song and dance during the launch. (Photo: PCS)
The projects are also expected to generate thousands of jobs, with 15,000 young Kenyans set to gain skills during construction.
Ruto stressed that local businesses would be central to the effort, saying, “It will not only construct roads, but careers and futures.”
He also acknowledged the contribution of Chinese partners, whose technology and expertise are helping strengthen the projects while building capacity for Kenyan workers.
Going further, Ruto framed the launch as part of a wider vision to transform Kenya into a first-world economy.
He announced that construction of new dual carriageway corridors across the country will soon begin, linking major towns and cities.
The government also plans to extend the Standard Gauge Railway from Naivasha to Kisumu and onward to Malaba starting in January 2026.
To sustain these projects financially, Kenya is establishing a National Infrastructure Fund and a Sovereign Wealth Fund, drawing from budget allocations, privatisation proceeds, natural resource royalties, and private sector investment.
“This approach will reduce our dependence on debt and build long-term national wealth for generations to come,” Ruto said.
In addition, the president urged all partners, officials, and communities along the corridors to ensure quality and transparency, stressing that the impact of the projects goes beyond roads.
“This is not about the kilometres we pave. It is about the lives we change. The opportunities we unlock. The Kenya we dare to imagine, and finally choose to build,” he said.
President William Ruto reviews the expanse of the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit, Maai Mahiu–Naivasha road projects. (Photo: PCS)
The ambitious project, to be delivered under a public-private partnership by a consortium including China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), is expected to transform a heavily used transport artery that for decades has suffered from chronic congestion, frequent accidents, and delays, especially during weekends and holidays.
The road project will now feature a four-lane dual carriageway from Rironi to Naivasha, a six-lane dual carriageway between Naivasha and Nakuru, a significant upgrade from the initial two-lane plans, which the President rejected as inadequate for future traffic demands
The dualling of Rironi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Road is scheduled for completion by June 2027, according to government timetables.
The project is part of a greater roads-expansion effort under the current administration, which aims to dual at least 1,000 km of highways nationwide, a move aimed at alleviating transport bottlenecks and boosting economic integration across regions.
According to the President’s development plan, upgrading transport infrastructure, along with investments in energy, water, housing, and logistics, is central to Kenya’s ambitions to accelerate growth and expand access to markets, services, and opportunity across the country.
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