Final Negotiations Underway for Nairobi–Mau Summit Highway, KeNHA Reveals

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has confirmed that two firms are in the final stages of negotiations to lead the construction of the long-awaited Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit and Rironi-Maai Mahiu-Naivasha highways.

According to the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA), two companies are in negotiation stages to head the completion of the long-awaited Nairobi- Nakurumau Summit highway and Rironi-Maai Mahiu- Naivasha highways.

KeNHA Acting Director General Luka Kimeli issued a statement on Wednesday, November 5, that stated that the authority had abided by all of the processes and procedures as spelled out in the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) Act in considering the development proposals of the project.

As required in Section 43(9) of the PPP Act, Cap 430, Kimeli stated that KeNHA assessed the submissions on the Project Development Phase and submitted the evaluation report to the PPP Directorate to review and advise the PPP Committee. The evaluation findings were subsequently endorsed by the PPP Committee, which is under the National Treasury and also the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Consortium were appointed as the preferred proponents to undertake the multibillion shilling project.

According to Kimeli, the PPP Committee agreed that the CRBC-NSSF Consortium is the most preferred proponent, as per the proposals of the evaluation report.

KeNHA, however, made it clear that the approval given by the committee is not a final award on the implementation of the project.

Rather, the authority is now at the negotiation phase with the named consortium. The concurrence merely enables KeNHA to enter into negotiations with the preferred proponent according to the PPP process, according to Kimeli.

The award has not yet been approved by the PPP Committee to be implemented. Transparency Pledge Kimeli promised people that he would conduct the whole process in an open manner, with updates made regarding the progress as per the law. He stated that there will be high degree of transparency and accountability in each phase of the implementation of the project by the Authority.

Publicly disclosed

All progress updates and decisions are being disclosed in accordance with the PPP Act and the National Treasury circular dated April 24, 2025, on the public disclosure of privately initiated proposals.

Nairobi Mau Summit is one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Kenya, and under the Nairobi Mau project, there is a tolling model that is being developed to ensure the sustainability and efficient maintenance of the project.

This model will enable the road users to pay a fee in order to use the highway, and the partner will recuperate the investment over a period of time, which is the private partner.

Tolling Model

According to Kimeli, the Government of Kenya, through KeNHA, is planning to use this project under a tolling model.

Road users will receive toll charges based on a pre-approved tariff structure, and the rates will be controlled in such a way that they are low and fair and that they allow the concession partner to recoup investment and maintenance expenses over the term of the concession.

In order to accommodate the motorists who do not want to pay the tolls, KeNHA indicated it will map other non-tolled routes between Rironi and Mau summit.

The Authority will identify other road networks and paths that will be available to the masses who will not be willing to pay the toll charges, according to Kimeli.

It is, however, worth mentioning that in the long-term, the use of the toll road will be less expensive, as it will save on time of travel, gasoline and enhance safety.

Ruto supports Busia expansion.

This announcement is only a week following the announcements made by President William Ruto of his intentions to increase the scope of the project to incorporate an extension of the dual carriageway past Mau Summit and all the way to the Busia border.

On October 27, President Ruto announced in Nakuru that the long-awaited project will be launched in November and this will be a significant milestone in the infrastructure development agenda of Kenya.

The Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit road will start next month, Ruto said. I do not wish the road to stop at Mau Summit, but go on to Kericho, Kisumu, Eldoret, and Malaba. The President also included the fact that the government has implemented a new financing model that would allow construction to be carried out without putting a strain on the public finances. He said that they were beginning in the next month since they had drawn a special arrangement that involved the involvement of the private sector in the construction of the road. Without using government budget funds, this project would not have been possible.

Strategic Importance:

The Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit highway is among the most important transport corridors in Kenya as it connects the capital to western Kenya and other neighboring states like Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Upon completion, the highway is likely to cut down the traveling time between Nairobi and the west of the country considerably, relieve congestion on the overcrowded route, and improve road safety.

Increased economic growth is also considered to occur as a result of the project as it will enhance access to markets and regional trade. KeNHA and the CRBC-NSSF Consortium are still negotiating and the ultimate agreement will define the concession terms, the toll structure and the schedule of the implementation.

The deal, assuming that it goes through, will then open the door to the official groundbreaking of the project and this will mean that Kenya is taking a significant step towards modernizing its road network with innovative public-private partnerships.