KIAMBU, Kenya – The Chinese contractor building the Rironi-Mau Summit highway has committed to completing tarmacking of the Rironi-Naivasha section by December 2026, raising hopes of relief from persistent traffic congestion along one of Kenya’s busiest transport corridors.
The Sh200 billion project, which runs from Rironi in Kiambu County through Naivasha to Mau Summit in Nakuru County, is expected to significantly improve the movement of passengers and cargo along the Northern Corridor.
Rironi-Naivasha section 80 per cent complete
Eric Yu, project manager for the Rironi-Naivasha-Gilgil section, said construction has reached about 80 per cent, with tarmacking of the section expected to be completed by December.
“We are on course to complete the Rironi-Naivasha section of the expanded highway,” Yu said.
The section forms part of the wider 233-kilometre Rironi-Mau Summit highway, which is designed to expand road capacity and address chronic congestion experienced by motorists travelling between Nairobi, the Rift Valley and western Kenya.
CRBC is also undertaking expansion works covering the Rironi-Naivasha and Mai Mahiu-Naivasha routes, which carry significant volumes of long-distance trucks transporting cargo to western Kenya and neighbouring countries.
The improved road network is expected to reduce travel delays and improve the efficiency of freight transportation along the Northern Corridor.
Six-lane Naivasha-Nakuru section
While the Rironi-Naivasha section is expected to be tarmacked by December, KeNHA officials said the wider project will take longer to complete.
Charles Omolo, KeNHA Director for Public-Private Partnerships, said construction works along the Rironi-Mau Summit corridor were currently about 20 per cent complete overall.
He said the Naivasha-Nakuru section, which will include six lanes, is expected to be completed by June 2027.
The expanded highway is intended to ease traffic congestion and improve road safety along a route that has experienced heavy traffic and a rise in road accidents.
KeNHA said land valuation had already been undertaken along affected sections and compensation paid to affected property owners to facilitate construction.
Solar power planned for highway operations
The contractor is also incorporating renewable energy into the road project.
Yu said solar panels would be installed to power major operations along the highway, with the planned system expected to generate up to 3 million watts.
“We are planning to install solar panels that will power major operations to the tune of 3 million watts,” he said.
The initiative is part of efforts to incorporate environmentally friendly technologies into the major infrastructure project.
KeNHA officials have also launched environmental restoration measures along the route following the removal of trees to make way for road expansion.
The agency plans to plant 20,000 trees along the highway corridor.
The tree-planting programme was highlighted during an exercise at Naivasha Maximum Prison and is intended to help restore vegetation affected by construction.
Highway expected to boost Naivasha economy
The project is expected to have a major economic impact on Naivasha and surrounding areas.
Nakuru Deputy Governor Davis Kones said the expanded highway would be a game changer for the county by improving transport and stimulating businesses along the route.
Naivasha is also being positioned by the government and the Nakuru County administration to become a resort city by 2030.
Improved road connectivity is expected to support tourism, logistics, hospitality, trade and investment in the lakeside town.
The ongoing construction has already created employment opportunities for hundreds of skilled and unskilled young people, while businesses operating along the corridor have benefited from increased economic activity.
