Ruto Launches ‘Game-Changer’ Sh170 Billion Rironi–Mau Summit Dualling

President William Ruto has launched the dualling of the Rironi–Nakuru–Mau Summit and Nairobi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha highways, calling it a turning point in Kenya’s infrastructure development and a model for future projects.

The ceremony took place on Friday in Kamandura, Kiambu County, where he said the roads will not only ease congestion but also create thousands of jobs and equip at least 15,000 young Kenyans with technical skills during construction.

Ruto said the 175 kilometre highway between Nairobi and Mau Summit and the 58 kilometre Nairobi to Naivasha section have for years carried far more traffic than they were designed to handle.

He said delays, accidents and long travel times have cost the economy billions and held back regional trade.

The upgraded corridor will include multiple lanes, new interchanges and modern transport technology to support the daily traffic that is growing by about four percent annually.

The President said the launch marks a shift in how Kenya finances major infrastructure. He argued that relying on the national budget or borrowing was no longer sustainable and that the government must embrace partnerships that bring in private capital and reduce pressure on taxpayers.

He said the Public Private Partnership model used for this road is a “smarter” way of delivering big projects without deepening public debt.

Ruto noted that the project is being implemented by the China Road and Bridge Corporation and the National Social Security Fund and said the partnership brings technology, experience and local capacity-building together.

He said the initiative will give young Kenyans access to practical skills that can be used long after the construction ends.

The highway forms part of the Northern Corridor that links Kenya to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ruto said easing movement along this corridor will strengthen Kenya’s position as the region’s trade hub and reduce the cost of moving goods across borders.

He said the upgrades will make travel safer and more efficient for both long-distance truckers and ordinary road users.

The President announced that his administration will set up a National Infrastructure Fund and a Sovereign Wealth Fund to reduce future reliance on loans.

He said Kenya’s infrastructure gap is significant and noted that since independence the country has built only 22,000 kilometres of tarmacked roads compared to more than one million kilometres built by Japan in a similar historical period.

Ruto also said similar dual carriageway projects will break ground soon across the country including routes in Nairobi, the Coast, Mount Kenya, Nyanza and the Rift Valley.

He urged contractors and state agencies involved in the Rironi–Mau Summit project to uphold integrity and quality, saying the success of the work will depend on discipline and transparency.

He said the new road is about more than paving kilometres and represents Kenya’s determination to improve lives, unlock opportunity and raise its standards.