President William Ruto is set to launch the dualling of the 175-kilometre Rironi–Naivasha–Mau Summit Road this Friday, even as it emerges that no contract has yet been signed for the Sh180 billion project.
The government says negotiations are at an advanced stage and will soon culminate in the award and signing of the deal.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), which is the contracting authority for the project, has emphasized that while talks with selected consortia are ongoing, it remains open to other qualified firms seeking to submit proposals.
A notice appearing on the MyGov portal on November 25, 2025, states that KeNHA, together with the PPP Directorate and PPP Committee, has undertaken all necessary procedures in line with the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Act, Cap 430, to evaluate the Project Development Phase (PDP) reports.
KeNHA received two Privately Initiated Proposals (PIPs) for the project. One was from Shandong Hi-Speed Road and Bridge International Engineering Co., Ltd. (SDRBI), and the other from a consortium of China Road & Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the National Social Security Fund Board of Trustees (NSSF).
Both PIPs cover the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Maintain and Transfer (DBFOMT) of the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit (A8) Road and the Nairobi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha (A8 South) Road under a PPP model.
The project comprises two road sections: the A8 Road, approximately 175 km from Rironi Interchange to Mau Summit, and the A8 South Road, covering 58 km from Rironi Interchange to Naivasha via Maai Mahiu. Both roads pass through Kiambu, Nyandarua, and Nakuru counties.
During the Project Development Phase, the proponents submitted feasibility studies for both a full-corridor proposal and an alternative split-corridor option.
The CRBC-NSSF consortium proposed to develop Nairobi–Naivasha–Gilgil (A8) and Nairobi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha (A8 South), totaling approximately 139 km, while SDRBI proposed the Gilgil–Mau Summit (A8) section of roughly 94 km.
Evaluation of the full-corridor proposal initially identified the CRBC-NSSF consortium as the preferred proponent, with SDRBI as the reserve.
However, negotiations on the full corridor were unsuccessful because the CRBC-NSSF consortium could not exceed the Chinese State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) outbound investment cap of USD 1 billion without an extensive internal review lasting about one year. SDRBI also confirmed it could not take up the full-corridor project.
In response, KeNHA, guided by the National Treasury and Economic Planning, evaluated the split-corridor proposals. During the 48th Extraordinary PPP Committee meeting on November 10, 2025, the committee approved the project under the PPP Act, noting that it meets public interest, feasibility, and affordability criteria.
The committee endorsed the split arrangement: the CRBC-NSSF consortium to handle Nairobi–Naivasha–Gilgil (A8) and Nairobi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha (A8 South), while SDRBI will develop the Gilgil–Mau Summit (A8) section, both subject to meeting technical, financial, environmental, social, and legal conditions.
KeNHA has invited other private parties to submit competing PIPs to ensure transparency and promote competition, in line with the Public Disclosure Circular dated April 24, 2025.
“To promote competition and openness in Privately Initiated Proposals, the public is hereby notified that any other qualified Private Party with the technical and financial capacity may, within the statutory timelines, submit a competing Privately Initiated Proposal (PIP) for the Project, in line with the provisions of the PPP Act, 2021, and associated regulation,” KeNHA said.
Negotiations with the two consortia are ongoing under Section 57 of the PPP Act, with the expectation that project agreements will be signed once all conditions are fulfilled.
President Ruto, after meeting China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) President Zhang Bingman at State House last week, described the project as transformative for transport and trade between Nairobi and western Kenya.
He said the upgrade would ease decades of congestion, delays, and frequent accidents along the busy corridor.
The President also announced he will break ground for the 58 km dualling of the Rironi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha section, a project expected to expand transport links and stimulate economic activity in southern Kenya.
KeNHA reiterated its commitment to strictly adhere to the provisions of the PPP Act and assured the public of transparency in all processes.
“KeNHA remains committed to strictly adhering to the provisions of the PPP Act, Cap 430 and further assures the public that it will endeavor to abide by the provisions of the PPP Act Cap 430 . The Government of Kenya, similarly remains committed to delivering critical infrastructure to Kenyans,” KeNHA said in the statement
The road upgrade is seen as a critical infrastructure initiative, poised to enhance regional connectivity, trade, and safety along one of Kenya’s busiest transport corridors.
by GEOFFREY MOSOKU
