The Nakuru-Nairobi highway has for decades made news for the wrong reasons, persistent snarl-ups, but with the dualling picking up momentum, this could soon be a thing of the past.
President William Ruto recently launched the phased construction and modernisation of the project that is expected to completely transform the road from Rironi in Kiambu County to Mau Summit in Nakuru County.
One of the most consequential projects for his administration, President Ruto aptly described it as a “gateway to prosperity”, adding that it is about enhancing regional connectivity and boosting the economy.
Although the expansion plans were mooted during the late President Mwai Kibaki era, they never materialised, leaving motorists and travellers to endure pain through lost man-hours and numerous crashes.
“This project we launch today is more than a highway, it is a gateway to prosperity, unity and transformation,” he told the gathering at Kamandura, Kiambu County, during the launch.
He said the new road was a model for how Kenya delivers mega projects without piling on unsustainable public debt.
The project, implemented through a Public-Private Partnership between China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and NSSF, will be constructed over two years at a cost of Sh170 billion.
“If we waited for the national budget, we’d have waited a lifetime. If we borrowed, we’d have increased our debt burden. If we taxed more, we’d have strained families. And if we did nothing, we would have surrendered to stagnation,” the President said.
And, a spot check revealed the enthusiasm with which Kenyans have embraced the project, which connects Western Kenya to Nairobi, Mombasa and other parts of the country.
The road also connects East African countries such as Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan, among others. It is a key road for long-distance vehicles ferrying goods from Mombasa Port, East Africa’s largest seaport, to neighbouring countries.
James Mwangi, a boda boda rider at Kamandura, narrated the difficulties travellers go through, especially during the festive season and long weekends.
“The transport on this road is very difficult. First, when December comes, it is hard for people to travel,” he said, adding, “Once it is expanded, it means transport will be easier. Access will be easier.”
“Apart from ending traffic jams, accidents will also reduce. The expansion of this road will help cars flow,” he added.
Samuel Kigamba said that the single carriageway can no longer accommodate the huge traffic volumes, citing this as the main cause of persistent gridlock. “This road is very narrow, and that is why we often experience very heavy traffic jams,” he stated.
“So if the government completes this project as the President said here, I believe this road will help us a lot,” he added.
President Ruto said that the project will create employment for 15,000 Kenyans, the majority of them being the youth.
