Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has announced that the dualling of the Rironi-Naivasha section is expected to be completed and opened to motorists by October 30, 2026.
Speaking on Wednesday, September 10, Chirchir said construction was progressing as planned and the completed section would be opened to traffic once the works are finished.
He said construction would subsequently proceed on the Naivasha-Nakuru section, alongside works on the escarpment stretch starting from Kamandura.
The Rironi-Mau Summit highway project was launched by President William Ruto in November 2025.
The KSh170 billion project is being implemented through a Public-Private Partnership involving China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). Construction is expected to take two years, followed by a 30-year operation period.
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The wider project is targeted for completion by June 2027, according to Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo.
Omollo said in August that construction was progressing simultaneously from both ends of the corridor under the supervision of the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).
The Rironi-Naivasha stretch is being upgraded into a four-lane dual carriageway, while the Naivasha-Nakuru section will feature six lanes.
The project will also include an elevated bypass through Nakuru City, aimed at reducing congestion within the urban area.
The government expects the upgraded highway to improve road safety, shorten travel and transit times and boost trade along the corridor.
The route handles more than 30 per cent of cargo destined for Western Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
