Kenya is accelerating efforts to modernize one of its busiest transport corridors, with the ongoing 233-kilometre expansion of the Rironi-Mau Summit Road expected to improve road safety, ease congestion and strengthen trade across the country and the wider East African region.
State Department for Internal Security and National Administration Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo, CBS, has said that the project is a key component of Kenya’s broader ambition to move beyond Vision 2030 by investing in infrastructure that connects people, markets and historically marginalised regions to economic opportunities.
The Rironi-Mau Summit corridor is among the country’s most important transport routes and has also been identified as one of the busiest and accident-prone highways. Its expansion is therefore expected to significantly improve the movement of people and goods while reducing travel times and enhancing road safety.
The project is being supervised by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and is targeted for completion by June 2027. Construction is being undertaken simultaneously from both ends of the corridor in an effort to accelerate implementation and ensure timely completion.
Under the planned transformation, the Rironi-Naivasha section will be expanded into a four-lane dual carriageway, while the Naivasha-Nakuru section will become a six-lane highway to accommodate the high volume of traffic along the corridor.
An elevated bypass is also being constructed through Nakuru to ease congestion within the city and improve the flow of long-distance traffic. The section between Nakuru and Mau Summit will similarly be expanded to four lanes.
The works also include the resurfacing of the 62-kilometre Rironi-Mai Mahiu-Naivasha Escarpment Road, further improving the condition and safety of an important alternative route within the corridor.
The scale of the project reflects the strategic importance of the route to Kenya’s economy. The corridor carries more than 30 per cent of cargo destined for the wider Western Kenya region, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, making it a critical link between Kenya’s port and commercial centers and markets in the region.
Once completed, the expanded highway is expected to provide safer and more efficient movement of cargo and passengers, reduce delays caused by congestion and improve the reliability of regional supply chains.
The project is also expected to support businesses operating along the corridor by lowering transportation costs and improving access to markets. Improved connectivity could further stimulate investment and economic activity in towns and communities served by the highway.
Omollo said road infrastructure should not be viewed solely as an economic development tool, noting that better roads also have direct implications for national security and the wellbeing of communities.
According to the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration, improved road networks facilitate safer and faster movement of people, security personnel and emergency services while enabling communities to access essential government and social services more efficiently.
Better connectivity also strengthens the relationship between government institutions and citizens by making it easier for public services to reach communities across the country.
With construction progressing from both ends and completion targeted for June 2027, the project is expected to become a major milestone in Kenya’s efforts to modernise its transport infrastructure and create safer, faster and more reliable connections within the country and across the East African region.
