KeNHA Seeks Independent Audit of Sh200 Billion Rironi-Mau Summit Highway Ahead of Phase 1 Opening

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has invited local and international consulting firms to independently assess construction works and costs on the Sh200 billion Rironi-Mau Summit highway project ahead of the planned opening of its first phase.

The tender, announced on Friday, October 23, 2026, brings together KeNHA, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), the contractor undertaking the project, and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).

The selected consultant will inspect completed and ongoing works, verify expenditure and certify costs to establish whether the amount spent corresponds with the construction undertaken.

The assessment will cover two major road sections: the 81-kilometre Rironi-Gilgil stretch along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway and the 58-kilometre Rironi-Maai Mahiu-Naivasha route.

According to the tender notice, the assignment will include verification of early construction works and certification of project costs.

KeNHA will give technical expertise the greatest weight during evaluation, accounting for 80% of the total score. The proposed cost of the consultancy services will contribute the remaining 20%.

Interested firms must also demonstrate experience in providing independent engineering services for projects implemented through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).

The tender comes as the government pushes ahead with the Sh200 billion highway expansion, which is being implemented under a PPP arrangement involving CRBC and NSSF.

The project is intended to improve traffic movement between Nairobi and the Rift Valley by expanding sections of the existing road and constructing interchanges, bridges, drainage systems, toll stations and road safety facilities.

In August 2026, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said the Rironi-Naivasha section was expected to be fully dualled by October 30.

However, figures published by the National Treasury showed that, as of September 30, early works on the Rironi-Naivasha section were 34.96% complete. The Gilgil-Mau Summit section had reached 10.38% completion.

The figures provide a progress snapshot ahead of the stated October deadline, although they do not establish whether the project subsequently met the target.

The highway’s planned design also includes different road configurations along its sections. According to the Treasury update, the Rironi-Naivasha stretch will have a dual carriageway and three toll stations, while the Gilgil-Nakuru section is planned to feature six lanes.

Under the PPP agreement, the road is expected to operate as a toll highway for 30 years. Motorists have been projected to pay KSh8 per kilometre, although the final tolling arrangements will determine the charges that ultimately apply.

The independent verification exercise will provide a formal assessment of construction work and associated costs as the major infrastructure project progresses. However, the tender announcement does not indicate that any financial irregularities have been established.

JerahTej [email protected]