The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has listed four road corridors spanning 536 kilometres for upgrading to bitumen standards under a proposed Ksh77.8 billion rural roads project backed by the World Bank and the Kenyan government.
In an Early Market Engagement Notice, KeNHA outlined plans to upgrade roads across Elgeyo Marakwet, Uasin Gishu, Kericho, Bomet, Nandi, Narok and Nakuru counties and invited contractors and consultants to engage ahead of procurement.
The four proposed corridors are the 110-kilometre Kericho-Kenegut Border Road, the 150-kilometre Kenegut Border-Nyaru Road, the 133-kilometre Neissuit-Embomoss Road and the 143-kilometre Embomoss-Mariwa Road.
The Kericho-Kenegut Border route will pass through Ainamoi, Poiywek, Chepkoiyo, Koisegem, Fort Ternan, Gilimori and the Kenegut Border, while the Kenegut Border-Nyaru road will traverse Mbogo Valley, Kamelilo, Maraba, Kabirer, Sirwa, Lessos and Kipkabus.
Construction workers at the Wikililye–Katulani Road site in Kitui during a KeNHA inspection, September 25, 2026.
Photo
KeNHA
The Neissuit-Embomoss corridor will connect areas including Salgaa, Elburgon, Turi, Muchorwe, Langwenda and Kamwaura, while the Embomoss-Mariwa road will pass through Chebole, Siongiroi, Labotiet, Kilgoris, Enoosaen and Anganga.
The proposed works will include road upgrading, safety improvements and civil works to accommodate fibre-optic cables, with KeNHA planning to use a design-and-build approach.
The authority said the procurement strategy and contract packaging could change following feedback from industry players during the market engagement process.
KeNHA expects the road upgrading and associated fibre-optic civil works for each corridor to be divided into two separate contracts, creating eight proposed contracts across the four routes.
The project also includes bridge construction in the Lower Eastern region, community socio-economic infrastructure and improvements to cross-border trade facilities.
The Roads for Rural Economic Development Project is estimated to cost USD600 million (Ksh77.8 billion), with the Kenyan government intending to seek financing from the World Bank through the International Development Association (IDA).
The project will also receive funding from the government, although the procurement notices do not specify the amount the government will contribute or confirm that the proposed World Bank financing has been fully approved.
The market engagement exercise is intended to gather feedback on construction costs, technical requirements, contractors' capacity and potential implementation challenges before KeNHA finalises its procurement plans.
An undated image of construction works on the Barpelo-Tot-Marich Pass Road in Sigor, West Pokot County.
PCS