Western Kenya and Nyanza eagerly await Rironi-Mau Summit highway

Traffic snarl-up on Nairobi-Nakuru highway that lasted for over 12 hours following an accident near Gilgil weighbridge. [File, Standard]

As we walk out of the festive season and now struggling to survive the January blues, the western part of the country has this time experienced a kind of excitement which was expressed in several sittings during the holidays. There was talk about an upcoming superhighway connecting Nairobi- Limuru’s dual carriageway to Eldoret, Kisumu and Malaba. The talk emanated from the launch of the Rironi-Mau Summit road project.

Several motorists and public service vehicles that spent hours and hours navigating the impassable road between Nakuru and Eldoret, Nakuru and Kisumu from December 21, 2025, have been especially exhilarated after President William Ruto launched the road project on November 28 in Kamandura, Kiambu County.

According to the State Department of Roads the launch covered Phase I of the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit (A8) Road and Nairobi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha (A8 South) Road, spanning 139 km from Nairobi to Gilgil and Naivasha. The project, implemented through a Public-Private Partnership between China Road and Bridge Corporation and National Social Security Fund, will be constructed over two years at a cost of $863 million (Sh112 billion), followed by a 28-year operation period.

During the launch, President Ruto emphasised the urgency of the project saying that had his government decided to wait for the national budget, Kenyans would have waited a lifetime. He said if we borrowed, we’d have increased our debt burden. And if we taxed more, we’d have strained families. “And if we did nothing, we would have surrendered to stagnation.”

This road, he said, is more than a highway; it is a gateway to prosperity, unity, and transformation. It demonstrates the power of smart governance in partnership with the private sector.

I have been to many sittings with the people during the festive season in their homes, churches, Christmas and end year parties while some have come to my office, told me that if Ruto leads his government to remove the burden of accessing Western and Nyanza by road they would vote for him in 2027.

Driving from Nairobi to Kisumu or Malaba during the festive season was accompanied by dawn prayers owing to an uncanny unpredictable road. Families have not been sure whether they will make it to their rural homes and back to the city.

Some spent 14 hours between Eldoret and Nairobi, others 20 hours between Nairobi and Malaba, some, who were not so lucky, counted a full two days on the road.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) had anticipated a problem early and on December 17 issued an alert. ‘‘Motorists travelling from Nairobi to Western and Nyanza regions during the festive season advised to use the Nairobi–Suswa–Narok route as an alternative to the Mai Mahiu escarpment, as authorities move to ease congestion and improve road safety,’’ the alert said.

The advisory was issued as part of a nationwide traffic and security operation launched by the NTSA in collaboration with the traffic police department.

According to the government, the festive season is characterised by heavy traffic volumes.

Motorists would drive peeping ahead or making calls to other drivers —who may have left earlier — to be certain if the stretch of road between Gilgil and Nakuru was passable.

Those that were lucky to make it to Nakuru after braving the jam sometimes dozing on the steering wheel and waking up only to move for five metres and finally after crossing Nakuru, would begin to pray that the experience to Eldoret or Mau Summit to Kisumu turns into a better adventure.

The Mombasa-Nairobi-Nakuru-Malaba/Kisumu road belongs among important road infrastructure to the entire East Africa region. 

Successive governments have however turned it into a joke only engaging in discussions around the need to build that road. When President Mwai Kibaki took over from Kanu in 2002, Kenyans thought that building that road would be a priority.

Now that numbers and available data by economists are showing that Rutonomics could possibly overtake Kibakinomics in long-term stability to the country, now that the country today has the highest dollar reserves since independence. President Ruto’s promise of the Rironi-Mau-Summit road will potentially place his name among the country’s futuristic leaders in the league of Daniel Moi and Kibaki. President Ruto has only one challenge which is to keep his word on completing the road project by June 2027.

Having worked closely with him as Bungoma Governor, I have seen him keep his promises to the people of Bungoma. Some of the promises that have been kept are building of the Mayanja-Bisunu-Sirisia road which is ongoing.

The Dorofu- Sang’alo- Musikoma road is also ongoing. Others are the Kimilili-Bokoli- Sikata road; Misikhu-Naitiri-Brigadier, Namuyemba-Salmond River Khalaba road which goes to Chwemwa. 

There is also the Affordable Housing project in Musikoma. Aggregated Industrial Park in Sang’alo and Revival of Nzoia Sugar Company through Rai Grou, which is now milling. There is also the payment of Sh230 million compensation to former Webuye PanPaper workers and building of Kanduyi Smart City.

Of the delivered pledges expansion and rehabilitation of Matulo Airstrip in Webuye is among them.

Only last week I was in Webuye East to deliver the President’s Sh4 million cash pledge toward the purchase of a school bus for ACK Webuye Primary School. I also handed over Sh1 million to Nabuyole Primary School to support ongoing development projects. The people have warmly responded to the kept promise and decided to play a central role in President Ruto’s re-election bid through coordinated political engagement at the grassroots.

We will work together, bring all leaders on board and mobilise our people from the grassroots to ensure his victory in 2027.

In Sirisia Constituency, I delivered Sh4 million to Bishop Wabukala Secondary School, Sh1 million to Malakisi ACK Church, and Sh4 million to Butonge ACK Secondary School. On Sunday I delivered the President’s promise of Sh5 million to the clergy who had requested him to help them buy land to build an interdenominational sanctuary. 

Ruto is a man who keeps his promise and will do that on his most important promise for the Western and Nyanza region; to connect the region to the port of Mombasa through a superhighway.

Mr Lusaka was recently appointed President Ruto’s coordinator of his Western region 2027 campaigns.