Ruto revives Nithi bridge project amid funding questions

President William Ruto during the State Funeral Service for Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at Nyayo Stadium, October 17, 2025. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

The issue of the construction of a new bridge on the Nithi River is a very emotive one, especially to the people who have been directly affected.

The notorious Nithi bridge on the Meru -Embu highway has claimed hundreds of lives since it was commissioned in 1985, and left many maimed and bearing psychological scars.

Despite pledges by successive governments to construct a new bridge that will avoid the treacherous descent and ascent between the Marima and Mitheru areas, the wait has been long, yet the accidents never stopped.

For the umpteenth time, President William Ruto on Sunday announced the project was finally underway, yet questions abound on whether it will be completed before the next general elections (August 2027).

"It might seem like an unnecessary question to some, but it is an important one for the people in Meru and Tharaka Nithi who are the main users of this road, and Kenyans at large," said Dennis Maruki.

Mr Maruki, a businessman with a transport company, says he and other stakeholders need clarity on when the project will be completed, the cost and other details.

Nithi bridge. [File, Standard]

"The president said they have set aside Sh7b for the project, but we do not know that for sure. Because we are told that there is Sh350m allocated for the project this financial year and the projected allocation for 2027-2028 is Sh200m, so where is the rest coming from?" Maruki posed.

He says the fear among residents is that the project might stall for lack of funds "as is common for some of Kenya's mega infrastructural projects."

"As a stakeholder in the public transport business, I know a project of this magnitude always runs the risk of stalling for lack of funds. The government should come out and let stakeholders know if it has secured a loan to fund it in its entirety or where the balance will come from. That is not too much to ask," Maruki pointed.

He said important details were not in the public domain.

"For example, we don't know what size of land has been surrendered by residents to give way for the project, and how much the compensation was. As a taxpayer, I need these details," he added.

President Ruto addressed the issue when he attended the 60th anniversary celebrations for Burieruri Boys High School in Igembe Central on Sunday.

"We have allocated Sh7b for the construction of the Nithi bridge to ensure that safety is enhanced at the bridge. The contractor is on site after we completed the process of compensation for the land. The work is in progress," said Ruto, who was accompanied by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Meru Governor Isaac Mutuma and other leaders.

Ruto said: "It is a matter that has troubled the country for 30 years."

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA) plans to realign the bridge, one of the most feared sections of the Meru-Embu Road and which many drivers find tricky to navigate.

Tucked between Mitheru and Marima markets, it is a steep drop and the fact that drivers have to navigate the curvy section from both sides makes it even more challenging.

Many in the past failed to successfully navigate it in the past, resulting in numerous fatal crashes into the river below.

KENHA Deputy Director in charge of Structures, Michael Ngala, said the realignment works would include eliminating the curves and slopes on both sides of the blackspot.

"The bridge is part of a project spanning 2.7km and the bridge itself is going to be 880 metres on a straight portion," said Mr Ngala.

He added: "The bridge has been the source of safety concerns. There are many lives which have been lost over the years as a result of the many curves and the descent and steeps that we have on this section of the Embu-Meru Road."

"We are doing a road component starting on the Marima side and also touching on the Mitheru side," he revealed.

He said the project will also involve the installation of other safety measures.

"As part of enforcement to ensure safety reigns in this section, we will have the police road checks on the Marima and Mitheru sides and speed cameras to check on the speed of the vehicles as they traverse that section," he said, warning that those who exceed the 70 km/h limit would be arrested and prosecuted.

"There will be proper enforcement to ensure that we have no violations in terms of speed limits that are set by the design of the new bridge," he said.

Ngala said since part of the project will touch private land, the National Land Commission (NLC) will be involved in the acquisition process.