Kenya, 27 Oct 2025 - The Government of Kenya has intensified its investment in infrastructure with the ongoing Rironi–Nakuru–Mau Summit highway project, a key public-private partnership expected to reshape trade and transport across the Rift Valley corridor.
The project, part of the Northern Corridor network, is poised to enhance connectivity from Nairobi to Eldoret, Kisumu, and Busia. President William Ruto reaffirmed the government’s commitment to completing the project on schedule, emphasizing that it would not burden taxpayers with additional debt.
“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,” Ruto said during an infrastructure briefing in Nakuru.
“We are not going to be spending any debt money from the government to construct the Rironi–Mau Summit; the road is going to be built on a public-private partnership,” he added.
The 233-kilometre stretch, which connects Kenya’s agricultural heartlands, is being developed under a PPP model involving the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and the Rift Valley Connect Consortium, led by French firm VINCI Highways. The Sh180 billion dual carriageway will include toll stations to ensure long-term maintenance and efficiency.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki underscored that the project will not only boost commerce but also reduce accidents on one of Kenya’s busiest highways. “From July 1, 2025, we shall begin the construction and dualing of the Nakuru–Mau Summit–Eldoret Road so that we can reduce accidents,” said Kindiki.
Economic Lifeline for the Rift Valley
The corridor serves as a vital artery for agricultural exports, including barley from Mau Narok, wheat from Nakuru and Eldoret, and horticultural produce from Kericho and Bomet.
Improved transport links are expected to lower freight costs and open up markets for farmers, traders, and logistics firms. Local businesses along Gilgil, Salgaa, and Mau Summit towns are also expected to benefit from increased traffic and roadside commercial activity.
However, some leaders have raised concerns over proposed toll charges. “Motorists will be made to pay for fuel, road-maintenance levy … and again be needed to pay an extra fee to use the Rironi–Mau Summit road,” warned Ndindi Nyoro, the Kiharu MP, urging the government to cushion low-income road users.
The project ties into Kenya’s long-term Vision 2030 infrastructure plan and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) goals, linking the country more efficiently to Uganda, Rwanda, and South Sudan. Analysts say such projects strengthen Kenya’s competitiveness as a logistics hub in East Africa, especially with increased cargo traffic from Mombasa to the hinterlands.
When complete, the Rironi–Mau Summit Highway will cut travel time between Nairobi and Eldoret by nearly half and could contribute up to 1% to GDP growth, according to government estimates.
