NAIROBI, Kenya- If you’ve ever found yourself stuck for hours on the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway, you’re not alone.
The holiday season turned the major route into a parking lot yet again, reigniting calls for a long-overdue upgrade.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi is leading the charge, urging the government to fast-track the highway’s expansion into a dual carriageway to improve traffic flow to western Kenya.
The single carriageway road has become a nightmare for motorists, forcing many travelers from Western Kenya to opt for alternative routes like the Bungoma-Kakamega-Kisumu road through Narok to avoid gridlock.
“We borrowed money to build roads into rural areas so some people can reach their villages in minutes, yet no one thought to make the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway a dual carriageway. Now we spend hours in traffic just trying to get home,” Mbadi remarked.
Beyond convenience, the CS emphasized that upgrading the highway would boost economic activity, making it easier for goods and services to move efficiently between Nairobi and the western region.
He also pushed for the expansion of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to the Malaba border, arguing that better transport infrastructure is critical to economic stability.
Every festive season, this highway transforms into a nightmare for travelers. On December 25, 2024, motorists heading to Western Kenya were stranded for hours on the Kimende-Flyover stretch due to heavy congestion.
Officials scrambled to advise travelers to use alternative routes like Nairobi-Naivasha and Gilgil, but the situation underscored the urgent need for a long-term solution.
President William Ruto’s economic advisor, Moses Kuria, echoed Mbadi’s sentiments, advocating for the highway’s expansion through a public-private partnership (PPP).
He argued that traditional funding models aren’t cutting it, and private sector involvement is the most viable path forward.
The Nairobi-Nakuru Highway is a vital link between Nairobi and western Kenya. With holiday gridlocks now an annual tradition, leaders are pushing for bold solutions, from highway expansion to railway improvements.
