The government has unveiled an ambitious rebuild of the Rironi–Mau Summit Highway, describing it as a transformative project that will finally bring relief to motorists long frustrated by congestion, delays and safety risks along the busy Nairobi–Nakuru corridor.
In a statement, Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo said the project symbolises Kenya’s determination to confront long-standing infrastructure challenges head-on. “This year, Kenya has been on a journey—a journey of building, improving, and refusing to settle for the frustrations we have lived with for years,” Omollo said.
“Nothing captures that journey better than the transformation happening on the Rironi–Mau Summit Highway.”
For decades, the Nairobi–Nakuru stretch has been one of the most difficult roads to navigate, particularly for travellers heading to Western Kenya. Omollo said motorists have endured “endless traffic from Rironi, slow movement up the escarpment, bottlenecks in Nakuru, and long delays for anyone trying to reach Western Kenya,” but stressed that “that story is changing.”
“Kenya is finally rebuilding one of its most important highways from the ground up,” he said, adding that for the first time in decades, the road is being redesigned with ordinary road users in mind.
“Now, for the first time in decades, that road is being rebuilt for us; the real people who use it every single day.”
Construction has already begun on the 233-kilometre highway, with visible activity along the corridor. “The machines are already rolling in, contractors are assembling teams and groups of workers will soon be spread out along the entire stretch, working simultaneously,” Omollo said.
Although the full construction period is expected to take two years, he emphasised that benefits will be felt much sooner.
“This is not distant development—it is happening now.”
Omollo said the upgrade will dramatically improve everyday travel experiences for families, traders and long-distance travellers.
“For families heading home upcountry, this upgrade means less time on the road and more time together,” he said.
“For parents travelling with restless kids in the back seat, it means smoother, safer, calmer journeys.” He added that for motorists used to budgeting for hours of traffic delays, “this road is a relief long overdue.”
“By Christmas 2027, the slow-moving jam at Rironi will be a memory, not a routine,” he said.
The PS outlined the design of the new highway, noting that it reflects how Kenyans actually travel and do business.
“From Rironi to Naivasha, it will be a four-lane dual road—wide enough for comfort and speed,” he said.
“From Naivasha to Nakuru, where trucks and buses pack the road from morning to night, it expands to six lanes to keep everyone moving.”
Nakuru town, he said, will also benefit from an elevated road designed to divert through traffic away from local streets.
“Nakuru town—a place where traffic can swallow a whole afternoon—will get an elevated road that lifts congestion away from the city streets and gives people back their time,” Omollo said.
Beyond Nakuru, the highway will continue as a four-lane road all the way to Mau Summit, significantly improving access to Western Kenya.
“It means shorter trips for traders, faster access to hospitals, more reliable supply chains for farmers, and smoother trips for students travelling to and from school,” he said.
“The journey to Western Kenya will feel less like an obstacle and more like a connection—quick, safe, predictable.”
Given the scale of the project, Omollo said two major contractors—China Town and Bridge Corporation, and Shandong Hi-Speed Road and Bridge International—will handle different phases of construction. He said the project has been designed with the everyday road user in mind.
“At the heart of their task will be the image of the driver who leaves Nairobi at dawn and hopes to arrive in Eldoret before dark,” he said, “the market women carrying fresh produce that needs to reach buyers on time, and the long-distance trucker whose life is lived on this corridor and deserves a safer, smoother route to earn a living.”
Once completed, the highway will operate as a tolled road, with motorists expected to pay KSh8 per kilometre, or about KSh1,400 for the full journey. However, Omollo said alternatives will remain available.
“Kenyans will also have improved alternative routes, because choice matters. Safety matters. Fairness matters,” he said.
He stressed that the highway’s impact will go far beyond convenience, strengthening regional and international trade links.
“It strengthens everything around us—the flow of goods from Mombasa to Western Kenya, the trade routes into Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC, and the lifeline of agriculture that feeds cities and economies,” Omollo said.
“A better road doesn’t just move cars—it moves possibility.”
To further improve mobility, Omollo said the government is also widening the Westlands–Rironi road to six lanes, a project he described as long overdue.
“Anyone who has ever been stuck there knows how badly this was needed,” he said, noting that the works are now 82 per cent complete.
Ultimately, Omollo said the Rironi–Mau Summit Highway is about restoring dignity and improving quality of life.
“This road is far more than construction—it is an investment in dignity, in quality of life, and in giving people back the time they lose every day,” he said.
“By the end of 2027, the Nairobi–Nakuru journey will no longer feel like a test of patience,” Omollo added, “but a sign of real progress—a Kenya moving forward for its people.”
Read: Rironi–Kamandura Interchange to Decongest Nairobi–Rift Valley Gateway
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