NAIROBI, Kenya – Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has pushed the planned opening of the Rironi–Naivasha highway section to December 2026 after the contractor failed to meet the October 30 deadline previously announced by the government.
Chirchir attributed the delay to shortages and rising prices of bitumen, a petroleum-based material used in road surfacing, saying disruptions affecting supplies through the Strait of Hormuz had significantly increased construction costs.
Speaking on Friday, October 30, the CS said the price of bitumen had climbed from Sh90 per kilogramme six months ago to Sh200, making it more expensive to secure the quantities required for the works.
“We have had challenges with the Strait of Hormuz. You know bitumen is a petroleum product comes from Iran. We have a challenge of bringing the small quantities because the price has gone up from Sh90 a kilo six months ago to Sh200 a kilogram today,” Chirchir said.
He said the government and the contractor were exploring ways to reduce procurement costs by consolidating orders and importing larger quantities in a single shipment.
“If we consolidate and bring an entire vessel under the framework I have just talked about, we should be able to manage the cost of building our roads,” he said.
The CS urged the contractor to honour the revised commitment and make the road available to motorists by December.
“We want to still urge the contractor to keep the promise and ensure that by December, this road is fully open for traffic,” he added.
October deadline passes as motorists and traders await relief
The revised timeline follows Chirchir’s September announcement that the Rironi–Naivasha section would be completed and opened to traffic by October 30.
The missed deadline has prolonged disruption for motorists, traders and businesses operating along the busy route, where construction works and traffic diversions have affected movement.
Traders and other local businesses have raised concerns over the impact of the delays, saying diversions and changes to access routes have made it harder for customers and suppliers to reach their premises.
The Rironi–Naivasha section is particularly important for traffic moving between Nairobi and the Rift Valley, as well as motorists travelling towards western Kenya and neighbouring countries.
In an earlier update, the government had indicated that the wider Rironi–Mau Summit corridor would take longer to complete, with the broader project targeting completion in 2027.
Sh170 billion project backed by CRBC and NSSF
President William Ruto officially launched the Rironi–Mau Summit road project at Kamandura in Kiambu County on November 28, 2025.
The first phase covers the 139-kilometre Rironi–Naivasha–Gilgil and Rironi–Mai Mahiu–Naivasha routes. It is being implemented through a public-private partnership involving China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
The project was valued at approximately US$863 million, equivalent to about Sh170 billion at the time of the announcement, and was structured around a two-year construction period followed by a 28-year operating period.
The wider road programme is intended to improve traffic flow, expand road capacity and reduce congestion along one of Kenya’s major transport corridors.
For now, the immediate test is whether the contractor can meet the December commitment for the Rironi–Naivasha section, after the earlier October promise was missed.
