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.

On the stalled Itare Dam project in Kuresoi North Constituency, Ruto said the government has reached an agreement with the Italian government to resume construction work by the end of the year.

“When complete, this dam will solve the persistent water shortages being faced by the people of Nakuru City,” he said.

On roads, President Ruto pointed out that the government has allocated Ksh2.5 billion to complete stalled projects in the county.

He also revealed that Ksh2.5 billion had been allocated to connect 21,000 households to power in the county under the Last Mile Electricity Connectivity Programme.