Rironi-Naivasha Highway to Open by Oct 30, CS Chirchir Says
The announcement offers a fresh timeline for motorists who have endured persistent congestion, particularly along the steep escarpment and other bottlenecks on the busy Northern Corridor.
NAIROBI, Kenya - The Rironi-Naivasha segment of the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit highway is set to be completed and opened for travel by October 30, according to Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir. Speaking on Wednesday, Chirchir expressed confidence in the progress of the dual carriageway construction, with motorists anticipated to begin utilizing the enhanced section once the works conclude.
"From Rironi to Naivasha, we will have finished the dualling and opened the road to traffic by October 30," Chirchir stated confidently. This updated timeline provides renewed hope for drivers who have frequently experienced bottlenecks, particularly along the steep escarpment and other congested areas along the Northern Corridor.
The Rironi-Mau Summit project was officially initiated by President William Ruto in Kamandura, Kiambu County, back in November 2025. The initial phase of the project focuses on the Rironi-Naivasha-Gilgil corridor and the Rironi-Maai Mahiu-Naivasha route. Implemented under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) involving China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), the first phase covers approximately 139 kilometers and is being executed through a design, finance, build, operate, maintain and transfer model.
Chirchir added that construction will extend beyond Naivasha, with the government shifting focus to the Naivasha-Nakuru section and the Kamandura escarpment segment. "We will then proceed to construct the Naivasha-Nakuru section, as well as the escarpment section from Kamandura," he explained. Numerous construction activities have already commenced along the corridor, with contractors engaged in earthworks, widening roads, and undertaking drainage and preparatory works as new dual carriageway segments take shape.
Government officials have pledged additional resources and construction teams to expedite work across the corridor. The project is poised to alleviate traffic congestion, reduce travel times, and enhance road safety for the heavily trafficked route used by trucks carrying cargo from the Port of Mombasa to western Kenya and neighboring countries.
The upgraded road will also feature modern interchanges and other amenities, with the Rironi-Naivasha-Gilgil section designed to accommodate increased traffic volumes along the congested corridor. The road will eventually function as a toll facility under the PPP arrangement. KeNHA has proposed a tariff of Sh8 per kilometer for motorists utilizing the Rironi-Naivasha-Gilgil and Rironi-Maai Mahiu-Naivasha roads.
The government has previously forecasted overall completion of the broader corridor by 2027, meaning the scheduled October opening would allow motorists to start benefiting from the first completed segment while construction progresses on the remaining sections.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
