The government has revealed that the Rironi–Mau Summit Highway project, whose primary goal is to end chronic traffic gridlock, especially during holiday seasons, and drastically reduce travel times, will be tolled at KSh 8 per kilometre.
Speaking to the media in an interview on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said the toll charges will apply once the road is completed.
“We are looking at about eight shillings per kilometre for small vehicles. There is also a different computation factor for heavy trucks,” said the Transport CS.
Chirchir added that the toll for the whole journey would be about KSh 1,400. However, he noted that motorists will have improved alternative routes, stressing that choice will remain key.
“We will significantly improve the adjoining roads to ensure there are adequate alternative routes for those who may choose not to use this road,” he said.
Also Read: Rironi–Mau Summit Road Set to Unlock Trade and Transform Communities
The CS further warned against losing regional competitiveness to neighbouring ports.
“It is really upon us to ensure that we do not give in to competition from the Port of Djibouti or Dar es Salaam. Our competitors have easier access to markets and smoother movement because of good infrastructure, which gives them a competitive advantage over Kenya,” he said.
Construction of the Rironi–Mau Summit Highway officially kicked off following its launch by President William Ruto on November 28, 2025, at Kamandura in Kiambu County.
The project involves upgrading the congested Nairobi–Nakuru corridor by dualling it to alleviate traffic snarl-ups, which have long plagued the route.
Slow movement along the escarpment, bottlenecks in Nakuru, and prolonged delays for travellers heading to Western Kenya have all posed challenges to motorists using the corridor.
During the Kimalel Goat Auction held on December 22, 2025, in Baringo County, President William Ruto revealed that the highway is projected to be completed by June 1, 2027. He stated that 2025 would be the final year Kenyans experience the notorious gridlocks on the Nairobi–Nakuru highway and even encouraged motorists to take photos of the traffic jams as a historical record.
About the Project
The President is expected to officially commission the upgraded road about two months before the August 2027 General Election.
The project entails dualling a 175-kilometre stretch into a four- to six-lane highway to eliminate chronic congestion and improve safety.
From Rironi to Naivasha, the road will be a four-lane dual carriageway. From Naivasha to Nakuru, where truck and bus traffic is heaviest, it will expand to six lanes. Nakuru town will feature an elevated road to ease congestion within the CBD.
Beyond Nakuru, the highway will revert to a four-lane road all the way to Mau Summit, significantly improving connectivity to Western Kenya. The upgrade is expected to shorten travel times for traders, enhance access to hospitals, improve farmers’ supply chains, and provide smoother journeys for students and long-distance travelers.
Also Read: 15,000 New Jobs for Youth as Ruto Launches Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Project
The large-scale project will be undertaken by two major contractors, China Town and Bridge Corporation, and Shandong Hi-Speed Road and Bridge International, each handling different phases.
The highway is also expected to boost the movement of goods from Mombasa to Western Kenya and strengthen trade routes to Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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