Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has pushed the planned opening of the Rironi-Naivasha highway section to early December after the contractor failed to meet the October 30 deadline.
Chirchir announced the revised date on Friday, October 30, when he led the National Assembly’s Transport Committee on an inspection of the ongoing road construction works in Naivasha, Nakuru County.
The government is targeting the completion of the 60-kilometre section, which forms part of the wider Ksh200 billion Rironi-Mau Summit highway project.
The CS had previously assured motorists that the dualling works would be completed by October 30, allowing traffic to move more smoothly along the busy route.
“By October 30 this year, from Rironi to Naivasha, we will have completed the dualling, and people will be able to pass smoothly. There will be no more traffic on that route,” Chirchir said in September.
However, the new deadline means motorists will have to wait longer before using the expanded highway.
During Friday’s inspection, Chirchir said the contractor was working within the revised timelines and that more than 90 teams had been deployed along the road to speed up construction.
He said the works were progressing at an average of four kilometres per week.
The CS also addressed concerns over a shortage of bitumen, a key material used in road construction, saying the government had secured adequate supplies to support the ongoing works.
Despite the planned opening in December, some construction will continue at Naivasha Junction, where the government intends to build an interchange with an overpass and an underpass.
Chirchir said the junction would require additional design work before the remaining construction could be completed.
The contractor is also expected to extend the works towards Gilgil and Mai Mahiu as the government moves ahead with plans to expand the wider highway by June 2027.
Ksh200 Billion Highway Project
The Rironi-Mau Summit highway is being developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, with the government seeking to improve transport along one of the country’s busiest road corridors.
China Road and Bridge Corporation is implementing the first phase, which involves the construction of Rironi-Naivasha section, whereas the Gilgil-Mau Summit section is expected to be implemented by Shandong Hi-Speed Road and Bridge International Engineering.
The two-lane existing road between Rironi and Naivasha will be upgraded to four lanes, whereas the six-lane road will be constructed between Naivasha and Mau Summit.
The upgrading will also entail the construction of interchanges, bypasses, toll booths, and Intelligent Traffic Management Systems.
After completion, the highway will be operated using a tolling system where motorists will be charged Ksh8 per kilometer between Rironi and Naivasha and Ksh8.50 per kilometer between Naivasha and Mau Summit.
The inspection exercise by the parliamentary committee was held against the backdrop of complaints regarding the performance of contractors implementing government projects.
Chirchir said the ministry was monitoring contractors to ensure they meet their obligations and that public funds are used appropriately.
“We are now keen on their performance records. All contractors are undergoing due diligence that is done strictly; this is to ensure value for public money,” he said.
The government is now expected to complete the Rironi-Naivasha section by early December, with further construction continuing along the wider highway.
