Motorists using the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway have been advised to prepare for traffic disruptions as the government speeds up the dualling of the Rironi-Mau Summit road, which connects Nairobi and Nakuru.
Speaking during an inspection tour on Wednesday, February 18, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen addressed the congestion along the busy route.
“We have come to inspect the progress of the Rironi-Mau Summit that is being dualled. This road is extremely important for the people of Kenya. We cannot leave the responsibility of this road to only one ministry,” Murkomen said.
“Inevitably, there will be inconvenience, there will definitely be disruption, but it is nothing compared to the suffering we have undergone as the people of Kenya driving from Nairobi to the western part of the country,” he added.
The CS assured motorists that the disruptions would be temporary, expressing confidence that the multi-billion-shilling project would immensely reduce traffic by June next year.
“The inconvenience we are undergoing between now and next year is temporary because we know by June next year we will never experience inconvenience again,” Murkomen assured Kenyans.
While addressing the press, Murkomen called on motorists to use alternative routes, with the CS further revealing that the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) would announce more diversion routes soon.
He also announced the government’s intention to deploy additional police officers along the highway and diversion routes to maintain order and enhance safety.
In his speech, Murkomen emphasized lane discipline, stating that it would significantly help reduce traffic disruptions.
“We are going to have diversions where Kenyans will have to use diverted roads. We want to make sure that security is provided to ensure people are safe even as they use alternative routes that are going to be provided,” he reiterated.
The Rironi-Mau Summit highway is a critical transport route which links Nairobi to the Western and Nyanza regions but has for years been impacted by heavy congestion, especially during peak seasons.
The ongoing dualing, which is currently being undertaken by two Chinese companies for Ksh200 billion, is expected to ease traffic flow, reduce travel time and improve road safety once completed.