Kenya Allocates £45 Million to Replace Africa's Most Dangerous Bridge
Embu, 26 February 2026
The Kenyan government has released Sh7 billion to construct a new 880-metre Nithi Bridge, replacing the notorious deadly crossing that has claimed countless lives. The new structure will rise 100 metres above the valley floor, making it one of East Africa’s tallest bridges and a potential tourist attraction. Construction begins immediately after Deputy President Kithure Kindiki confirmed funding is secured, with the project designed to eliminate the steep gradients and sharp curves that have made the current bridge a fatal accident blackspot for travellers between central and northern Kenya.
Comprehensive Infrastructure Overhaul Beyond the Bridge
The Nithi Bridge project extends far beyond a simple replacement, encompassing a comprehensive infrastructure transformation. The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has opened tenders for the construction that will include realigning 2.7 kilometres of the Makutano-Embu-Meru road [1][2]. The new design features an eight-metre-wide carriageway complemented by two-metre pedestrian walkways on both sides, ensuring safety for all road users [2]. The redesigned section incorporates a maximum gradient of eight per cent along the approach sections, a critical safety improvement designed to eliminate the steep slopes and sharp horizontal curves that have made the current crossing so treacherous [2].
Timeline and Political Commitment
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki announced on Wednesday, 19 February 2026, during an inspection in Meru County that reconstruction would begin soon and be fast-tracked [1]. Public participation regarding the bridge reconstruction was conducted on Monday, 16 February 2026, with Kindiki stating: ‘We needed Sh7 billion for the bridge, and we now have the funds. The contractor will be here soon. The public was engaged for their input on Monday, and I will be bringing the contractor to start construction soon’ [1]. President William Ruto has made an even more ambitious promise, revealing during a developmental tour in Meru on Thursday, 22 January 2026, that construction will be completed before the 2027 general elections [2]. Ruto declared: ‘People from Tharaka Nithi have always urged me to construct the bridge, or they will have problems with me, but I want to assure them that I must construct the bridge, whatever comes may’ [2].
Engineering Marvel with Tourism Potential
The new Nithi Bridge will span 880 metres, linking the Marima and Mitheru sections, making it the longest bridge in the region [1][3]. At its highest point, the structure will rise approximately 100 metres above the valley floor, positioning it as a potential engineering landmark and tourist attraction in East and Central Africa [2]. KeNHA expects the bridge to significantly improve road safety whilst emerging as a signature engineering feat [2]. The revised alignment and moderated gradients are designed to enhance geometric design standards, improve road safety, and ensure smoother traffic flow along this critical corridor [2].
Broader Infrastructure Investment Strategy
The Nithi Bridge forms part of a much larger infrastructure programme across Kenya. The government has allocated funding for over 6000 kilometres of roads nationwide, including over 350 kilometres within Meru County [1][3]. Contractors have been paid Sh177 billion to complete road projects, with Kindiki stating: ‘We now have adequate funds. We have paid all the contractors Sh177 billion, and they are back to complete the projects. By next Christmas, we will have completed all 6,000 km of roads that had stalled for many years’ [1][3]. Additionally, the expansion of the Makutano-Embu-Chuka-Meru-Maua Highway into a dual carriageway is planned to commence before the end of 2026 [1][3]. The government is also planning to establish a National Infrastructure Fund to support future construction projects [1][3], whilst ten previously stalled roads in Meru County have been revived and are now ongoing [1][3].