Ruto Unveils Massive Nairobi Transport Overhaul As Kiambu Road Dualling, Flyovers And Smart Systems Roll Out
News Updated: 29 June 2026 17:30 EAT
Photo Courtesy: President William Samoei Ruto speaking during the Commissioning of Ngong Road–Naivasha Road Flyover in Nairobi.
President William Ruto has outlined a sweeping Nairobi transport modernization programme, saying the capital has reached a stage where congestion is constraining economic growth and daily productivity. He noted that “every great city reaches a moment when its ambition begins to outgrow its infrastructure,” adding that Nairobi “reached that moment many years ago.”
He said traffic congestion has become an economic burden affecting workers, traders, and households across the city. According to him, “congestion is not merely a transport challenge. It is an economic challenge,” with lost hours translating directly into reduced productivity and delayed incomes.
Ruto said the government is responding through coordinated infrastructure investments aimed at improving mobility and reducing travel time across major corridors. He said these interventions are designed to restore efficiency in the movement of people and goods within the capital.
One of the flagship projects highlighted is the Ngong Road–Naivasha Road flyover, valued at approximately KSh 3.88 billion. The President said the project is intended to remove a major bottleneck, improve safety, and enhance flow along one of Nairobi’s busiest transport corridors.
He described the flyover as a model of modern urban infrastructure, stating it is meant to “reduce travel time, lower the cost of transport, improve road safety, and make cities work better for everyone.”
Ruto also acknowledged Spain’s support in financing the project, terming it a partnership based on mutual respect and shared development goals between Kenya and its international partners.
He said the flyover commissioning is part of a broader transformation of Nairobi’s transport network, with several major projects currently underway across the city’s key arteries.
Among them is the Upper Hill–Kenyatta Avenue viaduct, a KSh 3 billion project currently reported to be about 60% complete, designed to improve access to the central business district and ease congestion in Upper Hill.
He further highlighted the State House Road upgrading project, valued at KSh 1.6 billion, which is expected to modernise another critical urban corridor and improve traffic circulation.
Another major component is the Talanta Sports City access roads project, valued at about KSh 3.9 billion, which is aimed at supporting preparations for Kenya’s hosting commitments for continental sporting events.
Ruto also confirmed preparations for the dualling of the Muthaiga–Kiambu Road corridor, stretching approximately 23.5 kilometres from Muthaiga to Kiambu and its bypasses. He described it as a major US$221 million (about KSh 30 billion) investment.
He said the project will unlock faster movement of people and goods while opening up Nairobi’s northern metropolitan region for housing, commerce, and investment expansion.
According to the President, the government is systematically removing long-standing transport bottlenecks that have constrained Nairobi’s growth for decades.
He added that modern infrastructure must go beyond physical expansion, noting that “21st-century cities must also move intelligently.”
This is being implemented through Nairobi’s Intelligent Transport System, which includes phased deployment of smart traffic management across the city.
The first phase, valued at about US$60 million (KSh 7.9 billion), covers 25 signalised junctions and a central traffic management system currently under construction.
The second phase will expand coverage to 60 additional junctions at an estimated cost of KSh 13 billion, while the third phase will extend the system to a further 125 junctions valued at about KSh 24 billion.
Once completed, more than 210 junctions in Nairobi will be integrated into a real-time traffic coordination network aimed at improving flow and reducing delays.
Ruto also pointed to the Nairobi Urban Regeneration Programme, which includes 729 kilometres of routine road maintenance and phased upgrading of urban roads across multiple wards.
He said the government is also implementing drainage improvement works worth about KSh 2 billion to reduce flooding and protect infrastructure during heavy rainfall.
The President concluded that the combined projects are designed to strengthen Nairobi’s competitiveness, stating that mobility is the foundation of modern urban economies.
He said the long-term goal is to build a city that is “efficient, connected, resilient, and globally competitive,” positioning Nairobi as a key economic gateway for East Africa.
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FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD