NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 28 – President William Ruto has launched the long-awaited dualling of the Rironi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Road, kicking off construction of a critical upgrade of the 170-kilometre stretch linking Nairobi to the Rift Valley and western region.
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 initial two-lane plans which the President rejected as inadequate for future traffic demands.
It will also include simultaneous expansion of the adjacent 58-km stretch between Rironi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha under the same dualling initiative.
The upgrade is part of a broader infrastructure push by the government, aimed at easing transport bottlenecks and boosting regional connectivity across Kenya’s key corridors.
The dual carriageway is expected to lower freight and transport costs, thereby opening up new markets for agricultural producers and traders in the Rift Valley and Western Kenya.
For farmers cultivating produce for export or regional markets, improved road infrastructure could translate to higher incomes and better access to downstream value-chains.
The improved road will further facilitate smoother movement of goods and people between Nairobi, Nakuru, and counties in the Rift Valley — a development that could stimulate growth in trade, commerce, and investment along the corridor.
It is aso expected to reduce road accidents that have long plagued the old single carriageway — a major relief for commuters and transporters alike.
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 larger 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.
