Motorists will pay up to KSh 1,400 to travel the entire 175-kilometre stretch of the upcoming Rironi-Mau Summit Highway, following the government’s announcement of its tolling framework.
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo confirmed that small private vehicles will be charged KSh 8 per kilometre, while toll rates for buses and heavy commercial trucks will be structured separately and reviewed based on vehicle classification.
The highway, a KSh 200 billion infrastructure project, is a critical transport corridor linking Nairobi to Western Kenya and neighbouring countries. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
The government awarded the project contract to China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) in partnership with an NSSF-led consortium.
Photos: Moseax and William Ruto. Source: UGC.
PS Omollo explained that the tolling model mirrors the Nairobi Expressway approach, with safeguards to ensure fairness for road users. He noted that motorists will continue to have access to upgraded alternative routes running parallel to the tolled highway.
“Just as we did with the Expressway, we are ensuring people are not forced onto a tolled road. Choice, fairness, and safety are central to this project,” Omollo stated.
What is the purpose of the Rironi–Mau Summit Highway?
The toll announcement offers long-awaited clarity on a project designed to decongest the heavily trafficked Nairobi–Nakuru route and improve trade efficiency across the region.
According to Omollo, the highway is aimed at delivering safer travel, shorter journey times, and smoother movement of both people and goods.
“This is not merely about convenience. It is an investment in agriculture, commerce, and access to essential services. It ensures goods, produce, and people move efficiently and securely,” he said.
The road design reflects varying traffic demands along the corridor. The Rironi–Naivasha section will feature a four-lane dual carriageway. From Naivasha to Nakuru, where heavy freight traffic causes frequent bottlenecks, the highway will expand to six lanes to support uninterrupted commercial flow.
Within Nakuru City, the road will be elevated to prevent congestion within the urban area. Beyond Nakuru towards Mau Summit, it will transition back into a four-lane highway, improving connectivity to Western Kenya.
“By 2027, travelling between Nairobi and Nakuru will no longer feel like a test of endurance. It will represent tangible progress and a country moving forward,” Omollo said.
Why is the highway considered nationally strategic?
The Rironi–Mau Summit Highway is regarded as a vital economic artery rather than just a transport upgrade. It forms part of the main trade route linking the Port of Mombasa to Western Kenya and landlocked countries including Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
By cutting travel times and improving reliability, the project is expected to reduce logistics costs, strengthen agricultural and industrial supply chains, and enhance Kenya’s competitiveness against alternative regional routes, particularly through Tanzania.
The corridor currently handles nearly 40% of Kenya’s commercial traffic and plays a central role in regional exports.
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Under the tolling system, revenue collected will be ring-fenced exclusively for the corridor’s upkeep, including road maintenance, lighting, safety patrols, and emergency response services. Toll charges will be regulated, periodically reviewed, and adjusted transparently, with exemptions granted to ambulances, police, military vehicles, and certain local traffic.
Will motorists have toll-free alternatives?
Addressing concerns over affordability, the government has reiterated that no motorist will be compelled to use the toll road.
PS Omollo confirmed that non-tolled alternative routes will be rehabilitated and expanded alongside the highway, ensuring motorists retain a genuine choice.
“Choice matters. Safety matters. Fairness matters,” he said.
To further ease congestion at the Nairobi end of the corridor, the government also plans to separately widen the Westlands–Rironi road to six lanes.
