Sh90 billion Rironi–Mau Summit road upgrade to start in July, DP Kindiki confirms
The project will upgrade the 170-kilometre corridor into a four-lane dual carriageway, with six lanes planned in some high-traffic segments.
The long-awaited expansion of the Rironi–Mau Summit Road into a modern dual carriageway will officially begin in July, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has announced, following the death of 12 people in a tragic road crash along the Elburgon–Njoro Road.
The project, valued at Sh90 billion, will upgrade the 170-kilometre corridor into a four-lane dual carriageway, with six lanes planned in some high-traffic segments.
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It is expected to be completed by July 2027.
Speaking during the funeral service for victims of the accident in Arimi, Molo, Nakuru County, Kindiki confirmed that President William Ruto had directed contractors to begin work by July 1, 2025.
“The President has directed that contractors move to the site by the first of July this year to begin the expansion of the Rironi–Mau Summit highway,” Kindiki said.
He described the project as a flagship initiative under President Ruto’s administration, aimed at improving connectivity between Nairobi and western Kenya while addressing frequent deadly accidents on the corridor.
“This transformative project will stimulate the economies of Rift Valley, Nyanza, and Western regions, creating thousands of jobs prioritised for local communities, particularly Nakuru residents,” he added.
Kindiki also directed engineers from the Ministry of Roads and Transport to urgently assess and redesign the most dangerous sections of the Elburgon–Njoro Road, where 12 lives were lost in a crash.
“We must implement lasting solutions to these blackspots to prevent further tragedies,” he said, while conveying President Ruto’s condolences to the bereaved families.
Recently, President Ruto clarified that the government had not borrowed funds for the expansion of the Rironi–Mau Summit highway, countering widespread assumptions that his recent visit to China involved new loan negotiations.
“When I was in China, many people thought I had gone to negotiate for more loans. However, we have developed alternative financing mechanisms that do not push the country into debt, which could endanger our future,” Ruto said during the installation of Dr William Chituga as the Vice Chancellor of a local university.
He explained that the road project, stretching from Naivasha to Nakuru and eventually to Malaba, will be implemented through a toll infrastructure model under a public-private partnership.
“The road you saw listed, from Naivasha to Nakuru to Malaba, is not going to be built using government loans but through a toll infrastructure model under a public-private partnership,” he said.
Besides the road project, the DP said the government is also set to extend the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to the Uganda border, with phases 2B and 2C scheduled to start soon.
“This expansion will solidify Kenya’s role as a regional logistics hub,” Kindiki said.
He urged politicians to reject divisive rhetoric, noting, “The era of violent, inflammatory politics is outdated. Kenya must remain united and peaceful, even as we embrace diverse viewpoints.”
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