Kenya Unveils Multi-Billion Shilling Highway Network to Transform Rift Valley Transport Links
Nairobi, 21 January 2026
Kenya’s highway authority announced yesterday three major road projects spanning 403 kilometres across six Rift Valley counties, funded by World Bank and African Development Bank loans. The ambitious infrastructure initiative will create strategic corridors linking North and South Rift Valley regions, potentially transforming rural access to markets and essential services for millions of residents.
Three Strategic Corridors to Bridge Regional Divides
The Kenya National Highways Authority unveiled on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, plans for three distinct highway projects designed to weave together the Rift Valley’s economic fabric [1][2][3]. The first corridor, stretching 150 kilometres, will connect Kericho, Nandi, Uasin Gishu, and Elgeyo Marakwet counties through the Kenegut Border-Mbogo Valley-Kamelilo-Maraba-Kabirer-Sirwa-Lessos-Chuyiet-Kipkabus-Nyaru highway [1][2]. This route represents the most ambitious segment of the project, creating what officials describe as a strategic link between the South and North Rift Valley regions [2][4].
International Funding Backs Infrastructure Vision
Financing for these multi-billion shilling projects will come through loans from the World Bank and the African Development Bank [1][2][3][4]. The funding arrangement represents a significant commitment to Kenya’s infrastructure development, though specific loan amounts have not been disclosed in the announcement. KeNHA has already begun the preliminary phases by inviting consulting firms to submit expressions of interest for feasibility studies and preliminary engineering designs [1][2][3], indicating the projects are moving beyond conceptual planning into actionable development phases.
Political Support Signals Development Priorities
Local political leaders have welcomed the infrastructure announcement with notable enthusiasm. Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei expressed gratitude to President William Ruto, stating: ‘Thank you, President William Ruto, for the support, among others, in the country in terms of development. Nandi County is among the beneficiaries of the Kericho-Nandi-Uasin Gishu counties trans-county tarmac road’ [1][2]. This political backing suggests the projects align with the current administration’s development agenda and may face fewer bureaucratic obstacles during implementation.