President William Ruto on Friday launched the long-awaited dualling of the Rironi-Nakuru-Mau Summit highway, defending the use of private financing as a smart, unavoidable choice for Kenya's future. Flanked by transport officials in Nakuru County, the President emphasized that traditional funding methods would have condemned the vital economic corridor to perpetual gridlock.

"If we waited for the national budget to release resources for this project, we would have waited a lifetime," Ruto stated, framing the decision as a critical juncture for the nation's development. "If we borrowed, we would have added to our debts and burdened our children for generations to come. If we taxed more, we would have suffocated families. And if we did nothing, we would have surrendered to stagnation."

The project, a cornerstone of the Northern Corridor network, is now set in motion through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. This strategy allows private investors to finance, build, and operate the road for a set period to recoup their investment through tolls before handing it back to the government.

Breaking the Financial Gridlock

The total investment for the project is pegged at over KES 170 billion ($1.35 billion), a figure President Ruto called "a living demonstration of what happens when the government stops trying to do everything alone and starts doing things smarter." This financing model circumvents the need for further sovereign debt, a key promise of the current administration.

The upgrade will be extensive, transforming one of Kenya's most congested and dangerous roads. Key features of the project include:

• Expansion of the 175km stretch from Rironi to Mau Summit into a four-lane dual carriageway.
• Upgrading the Naivasha to Nakuru section to a six-lane highway.
• Construction of new interchanges, pedestrian bridges, and truck laybys to enhance safety and traffic flow.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has announced a completion target of June 2027. The project will be undertaken by a consortium that includes the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and Kenya's National Social Security Fund (NSSF).

An Economic Lifeline for Kenya

For the average Kenyan, the project's completion promises tangible benefits. The notorious traffic jams, which a 2012 IBM study revealed cost the country KES 50 million daily, are expected to ease significantly. Travel time between Nairobi and Nakuru could be cut by nearly half, from over three hours to around 90 minutes.

This efficiency is crucial for trade, as the highway is the main artery for goods moving from the Port of Mombasa to Western Kenya and landlocked neighbours like Uganda, Rwanda, and South Sudan. "For too long, this corridor carried more than it could bear. Traffic consumed our time, accidents stole our loved ones, and delays cost our economy billions. Today we say: no more," President Ruto declared.

While the introduction of tolling has raised concerns about the cost to motorists, officials maintain it is a necessary trade-off for a world-class road without the burden of new taxes. The Director of Public Private Partnerships, Kefa Seda, has clarified that toll revenue will be reinvested into the highway's maintenance, safety, and emergency services.

As construction begins, the project is not just about asphalt and concrete. It represents a strategic pivot in how Kenya will build its future—one where private capital is harnessed to accelerate public progress and, ultimately, put food on more tables by getting goods to market faster and safer.