President William Ruto has given the green light for construction crews to officially break ground on the long-awaited 170-kilometre Rironi–Naivasha–Mau Summit highway dualing project on November 28, 2025, marking a major leap forward for one of the busiest and most overburdened sections of the Northern Corridor.
The announcement came shortly after President Ruto met the China Communications Construction Company, CCCC, President Zhang Bingman at State House, Nairobi. After the meeting, Ruto termed the project a transformational upgrade that will reshape transport efficiency and unlock new trade opportunities between Nairobi and Western Kenya.
He noted that the upgrade will finally address the decades-long problems of gridlock, delays, and frequent accidents that have plagued this busy route.
“The dualling of the 170km Rironi-Naivasha-Mau Summit road begins on November 28, 2025. This will herald a major milestone for this critical part of the Northern Corridor between Nairobi and Western Kenya, facilitating movement and boosting trade and, at the same time, bringing an end to decades of agonising traffic gridlock, congestion, delays, and disastrous accidents,” Ruto said.
At the same time, Ruto announced that the government will also launch construction on the 58km dualing of the Rironi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha road, a project officials expect will expand transport links and drive economic growth in Kenya’s southern regions.
Ruto said both projects will be implemented by CRBC, a subsidiary of CCCC. He also hailed Kenya’s long-term infrastructure partnership with China, saying it has underpinned some of the most transformational developments in the country.
“Infrastructure development in our country has made a huge leap forward courtesy of the strong and deep relations between Kenya and China, and Chinese companies,” he said, citing previously completed projects such as the Standard Gauge Railway, the Nairobi Expressway, and various road networks.
He noted that several major China-backed projects continue to move forward, including Talanta Sports City, 21 new stadia, the Bomas Convention Centre, and the Lamu–Ijara–Garissa road.
Looking ahead, Ruto said the government has lined up additional large-scale infrastructure investments, including extending the railway to Kisumu and Malaba, alongside the proposed Galana Dam in Tana River County.
The National Treasury selected the China Road and Bridge Corporation and NSSF Consortium to construct the road project through a public-private partnership.
The road will be a toll road for 30 years with a concession that provides for a 30-year tax exemption on toll revenues. The toll rate, which is to increase by one per cent annually, was a key factor in the selection process.
However, the government has indicated that it may negotiate the charge to ensure long-term affordability for users.
The consortium will finance the project through a structure of 75% debt and 25% equity, with NSSF’s contribution signalling a strong local investment commitment. It will also shoulder all traffic and revenue risks, ensuring taxpayers are shielded from potential financial shortfalls.
