KeNHA Opens Tender to Audit Ksh200 Rironi-Mau Summit Road Project

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has invited firms to independently verify construction works and costs on the Rironi-Mau Summit highway project.

The tender comes ahead of the planned opening of the highway’s first phase, as construction continues on the major road expansion project.

In a joint notice issued on Friday, October 23, KeNHA, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) invited bids.

The three parties are seeking local and international consulting firms or consortia to conduct the independent verification exercise.

What the Highway Audit Will Cover

The selected consultants will inspect completed and ongoing works and certify whether project expenditure matches the construction delivered.

The assignment will cover the 81-kilometre Rironi-Gilgil section along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway and the 58-kilometre Rironi-Maai Mahiu-Naivasha road.

The tender notice specifies that the assignment includes early works verification and cost certification.

KeNHA will assess applicants based on technical expertise and the cost of their proposed services.

Technical capability will account for 80 per cent of the evaluation score, while financial proposals will contribute the remaining 20 per cent.

Applicants must also demonstrate experience providing independent engineering services for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects.

The verification is intended to establish whether reported construction progress corresponds with the money spent on the highway.

Construction Progress and Project Cost

The audit comes as the government advances the KSh200 billion highway expansion under a PPP arrangement involving CRBC and NSSF.

The project includes widening existing roads and building interchanges, bridges, drainage systems, toll stations, and road safety facilities.

These improvements are intended to ease traffic movement between Nairobi and Nakuru, a major transport corridor connecting the capital with western Kenya.

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, a National Treasury update showed that early works on the Rironi-Naivasha section were 34.96 per cent complete by September 30, 2026.

The Gilgil-Mau Summit section had reached 10.38 per cent completion over the same reporting period.

The figures highlight differing construction progress across the project’s sections as authorities continue monitoring implementation.

Toll Charges and Highway Design

According to the National Treasury, the Rironi-Naivasha section will feature a dual carriageway and three toll stations.

Meanwhile, the Gilgil-Nakuru stretch is planned to have six lanes to accommodate traffic along the busy highway.

Under the PPP agreement, the highway is expected to operate as a toll road for 30 years.

Motorists are projected to pay KSh8 per kilometre, although the final tolling arrangements will determine the actual charges.

The independent verification exercise will provide an additional assessment of construction works and associated costs as the project progresses.

KeNHA, CRBC, and NSSF have invited eligible local and international firms to compete for the assignment through the tender process.