Ruto Flags Off Ksh.170B Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Highway Project
Speaking during the launch in Kiambu County, President Ruto said the investment reflects the government’s shift toward smarter, more collaborative infrastructure development
By : Mweru Mbugua
President William Ruto on Friday launched Kenya’s largest Public-Private Partnership (PPP) road project, a Ksh.170 billion dual-carriageway connecting Nairobi to Nakuru and the Mau Summit. The project also includes the upgrading of the 58-kilometre Nairobi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha road
Speaking during the launch in Kiambu County, President Ruto said the investment reflects the government’s shift toward smarter, more collaborative infrastructure development
“It is an investment of over Ksh.170 billion — a living demonstration of what happens when government stops trying to do everything alone and starts doing things in partnership with the private sector,” he said
Ruto described the moment as the beginning of a new era, noting that Kenya had long struggled with the dilemma of funding major roads through the national budget, resorting to heavy borrowing, or accepting stagnation
The PPP model, he said, offers a sustainable alternative by allowing private consortia to design, finance, expand, operate, and maintain the road corridors
The upgraded routes will feature modern interchanges, pedestrian bridges, truck lay-bys, intelligent transport systems, and improved drainage
The President noted that the corridor is critical for linking Kenya to Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo
“For too long, this corridor carried more than it could bear. Traffic consumed our time, accidents stole our loved ones, and delays cost our economy billions. Today we say: no more,” he said
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The project is expected to create 15,000 direct jobs, with a strong focus on youth employment and local contractors announced plans for additional dual-carriageway projects, including the Machakos Junction–Mariakani, Mau Summit–Kisumu–Busia, and Athi River–Namanga highways
He pointed to Kenya’s comparatively slow infrastructure growth — just 22,000 kilometres of tarmacked roads since independence — compared to Japan’s over one million in the same period
The new PPP strategy, he said, will help bridge this gap without increasing national debt
To sustain long-term development, the government will establish a National Infrastructure Fund and a Sovereign Wealth Fund sourced from the national budget, privatisation proceeds, natural resource royalties, and private capital
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“This approach will reduce our dependence on debt and build long-term wealth for generations to come,” the President said
Construction on the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit (A8) and Nairobi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha sections is set to begin immediately, with Chinese technical partners providing expertise and training Kenyan workers
“This is our moment to rise from the ordinary and walk confidently into excellence,” Ruto added
