Dualing of The Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret Highway Begins in August 2025

Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has revealed that ground breaking for the dualling of the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Highway will begin by the end of August this year.

While speaking before the Senate on Wednesday, July 16, Chirchir noted that the groundbreaking would signal the beginning of construction works around the 175-kilometer A8 highway.

“We plan to undertake the dualing of the Rironi–Nakuru and Nakuru–Eldoret highways under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) process,” CS Chirchir stated. “We have gotten several concession proponents, and they are currently going through the development phase. We expect to break ground before the end of August, if all goes well,” he added. In addition, Chirchir revealed that the government would create a bypass around the Rironi, Mai-Mahiu, and Naivasha areas, describing it as A8 South, separate from the dualing of the A8 main highway.

Speaking before the Senate on Wednesday, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir stated that the project will significantly ease congestion on the busy Northern Corridor, which links Nairobi to Western Kenya and beyond.

“We plan to undertake the dualling of the Rironi–Nakuru and Nakuru–Eldoret highways under the Public Private Partnership process,” Chirchir said.

“We have gotten a number of concession proponents, and they are currently going through the development phase. We expect to break ground before the end of August, all going well.”

He explained that the dualing project will stretch from Rironi to Nakuru, continue to Eldoret, and eventually extend to Malaba.

The Rironi–Eldoret corridor is one of Kenya’s most crucial transport routes, connecting Nairobi to the western region and the neighbouring countries of Uganda, Rwanda, and South Sudan.

The dualling of this highway is expected to alleviate congestion, reduce travel time, enhance road safety, and stimulate regional trade and economic activity.

This announcement comes months after President Ruto announced the commencement of the construction when he hosted a delegation of leaders from Nakuru County at State House, Nairobi, on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

Ruto noted that the design work and other technicalities for the project are almost complete before he breaks ground on it in two months.

“We have agreed with the contractors to speed up the project and complete it by 2027. If not, they should have done a substantial portion of it by that time,” he said.

Ruto explained that the Rironi-Mau Summit Road would consist of four lanes from Rironi to Naivasha town, as well as the Maai Mahiu-Naivasha road.

He highlighted that the road will then expand to six lanes from Naivasha town to Nakuru City in order to adequately handle the high volume of traffic on the route.

Nairobi – Nakuru Project

Project Location: Nairobi – Nakuru – Mau Summit, Kenya
Name of Applicant: Rift Valley Highway Limited
Name of Project: Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Highway Project
Project Description: The Project involves two primary components:

• Dualling into a four-lane dual carriageway of 175 km of the existing A8 Highway between Rironi and Mau Summit, including operation and maintenance;
• Strengthening of 2 sections of the existing A8 South Highway between Rironi and Naivasha (57.2 km), including operation and maintenance.
• The Project is located in the southwest portion of Kenya along the existing Limuru-Naivasha-NakuruMau Summit Highway system.
• The works will be distributed along two paths, one follows the existing corridors of Highway A104 from Rironi north to Mau Summit and the second Highways C88 and B3 from Rironi north to Naivasha.
• In addition, the following auxiliary features are included in the Project: Establishment of construction sites and material/borrow sites.
• Combination of two elevated structures over roundabouts 1 and 2, one at-grade section between roundabouts 1 and 2, an elevated section (3.5 m) between roundabouts 2 and 3 and two viaducts to cross roundabouts 3 and 4 in Nakuru City.
• Improvements of junctions with major and minor roads and U-turn facilities, as well as construction of grade-separated interchanges.
• Service lanes (where needed), as well as climbing lanes at steep gradient locations.
• Bridges and extensions of existing culverts (or replacement of undersized ones).
• Underpasses and overpasses (trains, vehicles, and pedestrians).
• Wildlife and livestock crossing points.
• Bus bays and shelters, and truck lay-byes.
• Reinforcement of embankments and cuts as well as construction of retaining walls where required.
• Street lighting and high mast lighting facilities, gantries, and other auxiliary road infrastructure (delineator, departure terminal, safety barrier, vertical road signs, etc.), as well as landscaping. The Project estimates there will be approximately 2,600 workers during the construction phase and approximately 200 workers during operations.

The Environmental and Social Categorization and Rationale: The Project has been reviewed against DFC’s categorical prohibitions and determined to be categorically eligible. The Project is screened as Category A because it involves extensive rehabilitation and upgrading of a significant length of major highway. Primary environmental and social issues of concern include:

• Ambient air quality;
• Noise and vibration;
• Surface and groundwater quality;
• Erosion and sedimentation;
• Surface soil contamination;
• Impacts to flora and fauna in terrestrial and freshwater habitats;
• Ecosystem services;
• Community health and safety, including traffic safety;
• Occupational health and safety of Project workers;
• Cumulative environmental and social impacts;
• Resettlement of 64 households with structures in the right-of-way;
• Economic displacement of up to 3,000 informal land-users; and
• Consultation and consent processes for indigenous peoples in the project area.

The Gitaru Interchange is also a major project being undertaken by KeNHA. It is expected to not only ease pressure on the highway but also boost economic activity by improving mobility for residents and businesses in Kikuyu and surrounding areas.

Once complete, the project will add to a series of infrastructure upgrades around Nairobi aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving transport efficiency across the region.