The proposed attraction will feature aerial cabins, hotels and redesigned curio shops, but traders displaced by highway construction are still waiting for clarity on whether they will be allowed to return.
NAIROBI, Kenya – The government is planning to introduce cable cars at the iconic Great Rift Valley Viewpoint along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway as part of an ambitious plan to transform the scenic stopover into a major tourism destination.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said the proposed development would connect the A8 highway corridor to the A8 South section through a cable-car system, giving visitors an aerial experience of the Rift Valley escarpment.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the ongoing Rironi-Mau Summit highway construction, Chirchir said the government intended to develop the viewpoint beyond its traditional role as a roadside stop.
“It will be world-class, with cable cars connecting the A8, the corridor which we are in now, to the A8 South, the escarpment corridor. It will be a magnificent tourism site,” he said.
The plans also include modern curio shops and hotels, with the government hoping to attract private investors to establish hospitality facilities around the attraction.
“We are going to do curio shops that will encourage tourists to stop and want to spend time. We will probably get investors putting up hotels,” Chirchir said.
The CS said the government wanted to capitalise on the natural appeal of the Rift Valley by creating a destination where visitors could spend more time rather than simply stop to admire the landscape before continuing their journeys.
Safety Concerns Behind the Proposed Redesign
Chirchir said the existing viewpoint had design shortcomings, particularly regarding visitor safety, which would need to be addressed as part of the redevelopment.
“At the moment, the viewpoint is a good place, but the safety aspect of the design and the way it has been developed is not properly done,” he said.
Cable cars typically use passenger cabins suspended from overhead cables and transported between stations by a motorised system.
Such installations can provide access across steep terrain and valleys without requiring conventional roads to be constructed along the landscape.
If implemented, the proposed system could give tourists an elevated view of the escarpment while connecting different sections of the highway corridor.
However, Chirchir did not provide details on the proposed system’s design, cost, financing arrangements, procurement process or expected construction timeline.
It also remains unclear when the cable-car project will begin or whether it will be developed alongside the highway works or under a separate investment arrangement.
Displaced Curio Traders Hope to Return
The announcement comes as traders who previously operated around the Great Rift Valley Viewpoint seek a place in the proposed redevelopment.
The ongoing highway expansion has disrupted businesses that for years relied on motorists and tourists stopping at the attraction.
Traditional curio shops were demolished to create room for construction, leaving traders selling wood carvings, soapstone products, Maasai shukas, beads and other souvenirs concerned about their livelihoods.
Some have appealed to the government to allow them to return once the roadworks and redevelopment are completed.
“We would like them to finish the road and develop the viewpoint, but bring us back here. Bring us back here, because this is where we make our living,” one trader said.
The trader estimated that close to 300 people had depended on business activities around the viewpoint, including shop employees and small-scale vendors.
The proposed modern curio shops could create an opportunity to reorganise commercial activities and provide new spaces for traders.
However, Chirchir did not explain whether the existing traders would receive priority when the new facilities are established or how the government intends to accommodate those displaced by construction.
How the Viewpoint Fits Into the Highway Expansion
The proposed redevelopment is linked to the wider Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit highway project, which includes the A8 corridor running from Rironi towards Mau Summit and the A8 South route connecting Rironi to Naivasha through Mai Mahiu.
President William Ruto officially launched the first phase of the project on November 28, 2025, covering the Rironi-Naivasha-Gilgil sections under a public-private partnership involving China Road and Bridge Corporation and the National Social Security Fund.
The wider highway programme also includes the Gilgil-Nakuru-Mau Summit section, being undertaken under a separate arrangement involving Shandong Hi-Speed Road and Bridge International Engineering Company.
Government project updates have placed the completion target for the wider corridor at June 2027.
The highway expansion is intended to improve traffic movement, road safety and connectivity along a major transport route linking Nairobi with the Rift Valley and western Kenya.
The proposed cable-car attraction would add a tourism and commercial dimension to the infrastructure investment, potentially creating new opportunities for hospitality businesses, souvenir traders and other service providers.
