The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has opened a new tender to independently verify construction works and costs on the Rironi-Mau Summit highway project ahead of the planned opening of its first phase.
In a joint tender notice on Friday, October 23, KeNHA, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), which is undertaking the construction, and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) invited local and international companies to submit proposals for the assignment.
The selected companies will inspect completed and ongoing construction works and verify the costs to establish whether the money spent matches the work carried out.
The exercise will cover two sections: the 81-kilometre Rironi-Gilgil route on the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway and the 58-kilometre Rironi-Maai Mahiu-Naivasha road.
Engineers undertake construction work on the Rironi-Mau Summit on September 23, 2026.
Photo
Roads Dept
“KeNHA, jointly with CRBC and NSSF, invites sealed proposals from eligible local and international consulting firms and consortia for the above assignment, including early works verification and cost certification,” the notice read in part.
The Authority said the company’s technical expertise will account for 80 per cent of the evaluation score, while the cost of the services will contribute the remaining 20 per cent.
According to KeNHA, companies applying for the work must also demonstrate experience in providing independent engineering services for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects.
The tender comes as the government advances the Ksh200 billion highway expansion project, which is being implemented through a PPP arrangement involving CRBC and NSSF.
The project involves widening sections of the highway and constructing interchanges, bridges, drainage systems, toll stations and road safety facilities to improve traffic flow between Nairobi and Nakuru.
In August this year, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said the Rironi-Naivasha section was expected to be fully dualled by October 30, 2026.
However, a Treasury update showed that as of September 30, 2026, early works on the Rironi-Naivasha section were 34.96 per cent complete, while the Gilgil-Mau Summit section had reached 10.38 per cent completion.
According to the National Treasury, the Rironi-Naivasha section will feature a dual carriageway with three toll stations, while the Gilgil-Nakuru stretch is planned to have six lanes.
Under the PPP agreement, the highway is expected to operate as a toll road for 30 years, with motorists projected to pay Ksh8 per kilometre, subject to the final tolling arrangements.
A model of the Rironi-Mau Summit highway
Moseax