KeNHA engages Kiambu and Nakuru stakeholders on Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit Highway Project

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has stepped up its stakeholder engagement ahead of the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit (A8) and Nairobi–Mai Mahiu–Naivasha (A8 South) road projects, holding a series of meetings with county leadership in Kiambu and Nakuru.

Led by the Director of Public Private Partnerships, Eng. Charles Obuon, the KeNHA delegation briefed the two county administrations on the scope and timelines of the projects, which form part of one of Kenya’s most ambitious infrastructure undertakings.

In Nakuru, county leadership was taken through the project’s potential to decongest traffic, reduce road accidents and lower transport costs along the corridor linking Nairobi to western Kenya. 

In Kiambu, the team highlighted the expected benefits for businesses and communities situated along the busy highway.

Stakeholders in both counties, including Members of the County Assembly, raised key issues around land acquisition and compensation, drainage systems, access and spur roads, pedestrian facilities and Corporate Social Investment initiatives. 

These concerns underscored the importance of collaboration between KeNHA, county governments, and local communities to ensure the projects deliver maximum impact while minimizing disruption.

Eng. Obuon reassured stakeholders that KeNHA is committed to addressing the concerns raised. He noted that the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit and Nairobi–Mai Mahiu–Naivasha highways are not only about road expansion but are designed to serve as catalysts for regional trade, safer mobility and socio-economic growth.

At the close of the Kiambu consultations, Governor Paul Wamatangi hosted a delegation from KeNHA for a consultative meeting over the upcoming Rironi–Mau Summit Highway.

He explained that the talks centred on the ongoing design works to ensure the project factors in the tarmacking of loop access roads such as Rahab Road in Limuru, alongside pedestrian walks, crossovers, underpasses, streets and improved drainage to address the perennial stormwater menace in Limuru Town, Mutarakwa, Nyambari and Kimende areas.

The governor added that he had also proposed the inclusion of the expansion of the Ndenderu–Limuru Road, which is currently experiencing congestion, by increasing its capacity through Limuru Town and linking it to the highway at Kwambira, where the county is constructing a major bus park.

“We also emphasised the issue of compensation to ensure that the people who will be affected by the project and have properties will be compensated as quickly as possible. I appreciate the KeNHA team for promising to factor in our concerns and include the county and the public as the design works continue,” said Governor Wamatangi, while commending KeNHA for setting high standards in road construction nationally.

Kenya’s busiest highway, the Northern Corridor, is set for a major facelift under the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit (A8) and Nairobi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha (A8 South) road project.The upgrade, billed as one of the largest public-private partnership (PPP) road ventures in East Africa, is expected to ease congestion, enhance road safety and strengthen Kenya’s position as a regional trade hub.

Stretching approximately 233 kilometres, the project covers two critical sections of the corridor: Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit and Nairobi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha. These routes currently suffer from heavy traffic jams, long delays, and frequent accidents as long-distance trucks, passenger vehicles and local traffic jostle for space on the overburdened carriageway.

Under the plan, the road will be expanded into a modern four-lane dual carriageway complete with interchanges, service lanes, drainage works and pedestrian facilities. The design also factors in spur roads and access routes to ease movement for local communities.

Preparatory works and feasibility studies have already been completed, while Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) and Resettlement Action Plans (RAP) are being finalised following stakeholder consultations in Nakuru and Kiambu counties. Construction is expected to begin once financial closure and compensation for affected persons are concluded.

The project is being undertaken by the Rift Valley Connect Consortium, led by French infrastructure giant Vinci Highways, under a PPP arrangement with the Government of Kenya through the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA). The concessionaire will finance, design, expand, operate and maintain the road for 30 years before handing it back to government ownership.

The project is not just about building a road, but about creating a model of sustainable infrastructure that balances growth with environmental and social responsibility. County leaders have been keen to ensure that issues such as compensation, drainage, corporate social investments and pedestrian safety are addressed before works begin.

The expressway is strategically significant, aligning with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which both prioritise transport connectivity and industrial growth. It is also expected to boost the competitiveness of the Northern Corridor, linking Nairobi to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, against Tanzania’s emerging Central Corridor.