President William Ruto has confirmed that construction of the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit highway will begin in November 2025, shifting from earlier plans that had targeted an August start.
Speaking in Nakuru County on October 27, 2025, the President announced that the project would commence “next month” and emphasized that the road should not end at Mau Summit but continue to Kericho, Kisumu, Eldoret, and Malaba.
The Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit highway is one of Kenya’s most ambitious infrastructure projects and a key section of the Northern Corridor, which links the capital city to western Kenya and neighboring countries.
The dual carriageway is expected to reduce congestion, improve road safety, and cut travel time between Nairobi and Nakuru to less than two hours.
Earlier reports had indicated that construction would begin in August 2025 after the completion of procurement and financial negotiations under a Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model.
However, final agreements between the government and the selected consortium took longer than expected, leading to a slight delay. President Ruto assured Kenyans that all preliminary processes were now complete, paving the way for groundbreaking in November.
He defended the PPP arrangement as the most sustainable approach for large-scale projects, noting that it allows the government to deliver vital infrastructure without adding to public debt. “We must build responsibly. The PPP model will ensure that Kenya continues to grow while maintaining financial discipline,” Ruto said.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has been overseeing the project’s preparation, with the selected private consortium expected to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the highway for a concession period before handing it back to the government.
Once completed, the road will significantly improve trade and connectivity between Nairobi and the western region. It will also enhance regional integration by linking Kenya to Uganda and other East African countries through the Malaba border.
The Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit highway represents a major step in modernizing Kenya’s transport network.
With construction now set to begin in November, attention turns to ensuring timely completion and strict adherence to quality standards to deliver long-term benefits for the economy and citizens.
