Two Chinese contractors and a Kenyan firm have secured a Sh3.9 billion contract to upgrade roads and pedestrian infrastructure around Talanta Sports City Stadium as the country prepares to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The deal, awarded by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority under the Specially Permitted Procurement Procedure, went to China Road and Bridge Corporation, China WU Yi Co Ltd and Gaps Construction and Engineering Co Ltd.
The project entails building pedestrian walkways along both sides of Ngong Road, a dual carriageway with footpaths linking Ngong Road to Cemetery Road, and a bridge at the Southern Bypass interchange. A second bridge will span Ngong Road. The contractors will also construct a single carriageway with walkways from the VIP access area of Talanta Sports Complex to the Kenya Scouts Association, as well as similar works along Cemetery Road.
In letters dated January 9, 2026, KURA informed the firms that they had been selected as vetted and approved contractors capable of executing the strategic project. The works are expected to be completed within 12 months, followed by a one-year defects liability period.
The Specially Permitted Procurement Procedure allows government entities to directly appoint contractors without open tendering, typically for urgent, high-value projects that must be delivered within tight timelines.
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Upgrading the Ngong Road and Southern Bypass corridors is considered crucial to managing traffic flow when Kenya co-hosts the continental tournament with Uganda and Tanzania. The award further entrenches the dominance of Chinese firms in Kenya’s transport infrastructure sector.
Companies from China have handled most of Kenya’s flagship transport projects, including the Nairobi Expressway, the standard gauge railway from Mombasa to Naivasha, the Southern and Eastern bypasses, the Thika Superhighway and the Rironi–Mau Summit highway. China Road and Bridge Corporation was behind both the standard gauge railway and the Nairobi Expressway.
