Ruto Pledges to Dual Nairobi-Mombasa Highway Within a Year

Kenyan President William Ruto has announced plans to dual the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway, a critical economic artery linking the Port of Mombasa to Nairobi and serving as a major transit route for cargo destined for Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The proposed expansion seeks to upgrade the existing predominantly two-lane highway into a four-lane dual carriageway. Ruto made the pledge while speaking in Mombasa, urging Kenyans to be patient as the government finalises arrangements for the expansion.

The Nairobi-Mombasa highway has faced congestion, frequent accidents and delays, particularly involving heavy commercial trucks transporting cargo from the port to inland destinations. The expansion is expected to improve road safety, reduce travel time, ease congestion and lower the cost of transporting goods across the country and the wider East African region. According to Ruto, his administration had already developed a plan for the project and would soon communicate details of how it intends to undertake the multibillion-shilling infrastructure investment.

The project is also expected to address longstanding concerns over road safety following a series of fatal accidents along the highway. A crash at Salama in Makueni County claimed 17 lives, highlighting the need for urgent action. The government is pursuing a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to finance and implement the project, with assessments focusing on engineering requirements, traffic volumes, environmental and social impact, project costs and financial viability.

Ruto’s latest remarks come amid a broader infrastructure expansion programme targeting major transport corridors across the country. The government is undertaking the Sh191 billion Rironi-Mau Summit highway project, which is expected to upgrade approximately 210 kilometres of road. The President has also outlined plans to extend the dual carriageway network from Mau Summit towards Eldoret and Malaba, while expanding road connectivity through several counties.

The proposed Nairobi-Mombasa expansion would complement these projects by strengthening the Northern Corridor, which connects the Port of Mombasa to landlocked countries in the region. Ruto has maintained that the government intends to pursue innovative financing arrangements for major infrastructure projects without introducing additional taxes or increasing public debt. However, the President did not disclose the specific financing model for the Nairobi-Mombasa highway during his latest announcement.

The National Treasury has been assessing the project’s financing and implementation framework, with a focus on identifying a suitable PPP arrangement. The government has yet to publicly provide a final project cost, identify the selected financing arrangement or outline the implementation timetable. Ruto’s pledge to dual the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway within a year has raised expectations, with stakeholders eagerly awaiting details of the project’s implementation.

The dual carriageway project is one of several initiatives aimed at transforming Kenya’s transport infrastructure. With the government pursuing innovative financing arrangements, the project is expected to have a significant impact on the country’s economy and road safety record. Key aspects of the project include improving road safety, reducing travel time and easing congestion along the critical economic artery.

Key points

• The proposed expansion aims to upgrade the existing two-lane highway into a four-lane dual carriageway.
• The project is expected to improve road safety, reduce travel time and ease congestion.
• The government is pursuing a Public-Private Partnership arrangement to finance and implement the project.