Rironi-Mau Summit road upgrade to begin in June, completion set for 2027
The road development will significantly improve transport and travel between Nairobi, Nakuru, and Western Kenya, a route that frequently experiences heavy traffic, especially on weekends and national holidays.
The Cabinet has directed that the construction framework for the 170-kilometre four-lane Rironi-Mau Summit road be finalised and the groundbreaking to take place by June 1, 2025.
The upgrade from a single carriageway to a dual carriageway is expected to ease traffic congestion along the critical transport corridor linking Nairobi to Western Kenya.
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The project is scheduled for completion by June 2027.
The road development will significantly improve transport and travel between Nairobi, Nakuru, and Western Kenya, a route that frequently experiences heavy traffic, especially on weekends and national holidays.
The Cabinet chaired by President William Ruto on Tuesday said the expansion is part of the government’s broader infrastructure plan aimed at enhancing connectivity across the country and stimulating economic growth.
“This road development is expected to ease transport and travel from Nairobi through Nakuru to Western Kenya, a route that has long suffered from serious traffic congestion on weekends and during national holidays,” read the Cabinet dispatch.
Recently, the project, originally awarded to a consortium of French firms during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term, was awarded to a Chinese firm. The shift follows discussions between President Ruto and Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit.
“We also agreed to discuss regional infrastructure projects such as the expansion of the SGR and the Rironi-Mau Summit-Malaba dual carriageway,” President Ruto posted on his X handle last year after meeting President Xi.
The new road plan extends the project beyond Mau Summit to the Kenya-Uganda border town of Malaba, making it more expansive than initially envisioned.
The French consortium, Rift Valley Highways, had initially been tasked with designing, sourcing funds, and constructing the road under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The agreement would have allowed the consortium to operate the road for 26 years, charging toll fees to recover its investment.
The 190-kilometre project had been estimated to cost Sh180 billion and included expanding the Rironi-Mai Mahiu-Naivasha road.
Under the initial deal, motorists using the road would have been charged toll fees, with a tentative tariff indicating that saloon car owners would pay Sh6 per kilometre, while heavy commercial vehicles would be charged up to Sh24.
However, Kenya cited high toll fees and unfavourable risk transfer terms as reasons for cancelling the agreement. One key concern was a clause requiring the government to compensate the firms if they failed to meet their revenue targets.
Following the cancellation, Kenya was expected to compensate the French firms for the terminated contract. Meanwhile, the government sought alternative investors to implement the project under more favourable terms.
The transition from French to Chinese developers signaled a strategic shift in Kenya’s infrastructure development partnerships, with China increasingly playing a key role in financing and executing major projects in the country.
The Rironi-Mau Summit-Malaba road is expected to be a crucial link in the region’s transport network, enhancing trade and movement between Kenya and its neighbours.
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