The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has awarded a KSh7.5 billion contract to a Chinese construction firm to redesign the Nithi Bridge and the surrounding roads as part of improvements planned for the Makutano–Embu–Meru (A9) highway.
In project papers reviewed by The Kenya Times, KeNHA said China Wu Yi Company Limited won the contract following a competitive bidding process.
The project will involve building a new 880‑meter bridge and about three kilometers of approach roads, and the construction is expected to be completed in 2029.
The project focuses on one of the most dangerous sections of road in the country, where the current bridge design, steep slopes, and sharp bends have been blamed for serious and fatal road accidents over the years.
A Notorious Black Spot with Repeated Fatal Crashes
Nithi Bridge, which sits on a busy highway linking Meru, Tharaka Nithi, and Embu counties, has for decades been known as one of Kenya’s deadliest road sections.
The road leading to Nithi Bridge is steep and has sharp bends and narrow sections, which have caused many vehicles to lose control and crash, often with deadly results.
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The latest big accident happened in October 2025, when a lorry transporting green bananas from Meru to Nairobi lost control while descending the steep hill and fell into the Nithi River, killing at least two people.
This happened less than a year after another serious crash in September 2024 at the same spot, where 12 people died in an accident involving a matatu, a pickup truck, and other vehicles.
Design Changes Aimed at Fixing the Real Problem
KeNHA says the contract covers the construction of a new bridge and major changes to the road approaches on both sides of the Nithi River.
The work will include strengthening dangerous curves, reducing steep descents, improving drainage, and strengthening slopes in the river valley area.
The project will be carried out under an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) model and will be fully funded by the national government.
Tender documents show that the redesigned road layout will improve visibility, braking distance, and traffic flow, especially for heavy trucks that regularly use the highway.
According to KeNHA, the goal is to permanently fix the engineering problems that cause accidents, rather than relying only on warning signs or police enforcement.
KeNHA Preparatory Work Underway as Project Moves Forward
Reconstruction is already at the preparation stage, according to the highway’s authority. Director General Luka Kimeli said the process began with public participation meetings held in Meru Town in February, followed by mapping out land that will be affected by the project and ongoing geotechnical studies to guide the final design.
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President William Ruto, during a visit to Tharaka Nithi last month with Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, said the government is moving ahead with plans to build a safer, modern bridge to address the safety challenges at the site.
On his part, Kindiki said the redesigned bridge will provide a long‑term solution to the risks motorists face when approaching the crossing.
According to KeNHA, the new bridge will be about 880 meters long and raised roughly 100 meters above the river valley because of the terrain.
The approach roads will be about 2.77 kilometers long on either side of the bridge. When the project is finished, the entire crossing will be almost three kilometers long, making it the second‑longest bridge in Kenya after the Dongo Kundu Bridge.
KeNHA says the redesign aims to improve road stability, visibility, and braking distance, finally addressing the engineering flaws that have made Nithi Bridge one of the country’s most dangerous black spots.
