The Nairobi–Mombasa highway will be dualled, Ruto says: what we know, and why it is urgent
President Ruto says the government is speeding up talks to turn the busy two-lane Mombasa–Nairobi–Malaba road into a dual carriageway, after deadly crashes. Here is what has been said, how it may be paid for, and what is still unknown.
On 4 November 2026, at an industrialisation summit at KICC in Nairobi, President William Ruto said the government is speeding up negotiations to dual the Nairobi–Mombasa highway: "We are negotiating on the dualling of the road all the way from Mombasa to Malaba, and it is going to happen."
What we know
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| The road | Kenya's main trade route, from Mombasa port through Nairobi to Malaba on the Uganda border |
| The plan | Turn the existing two-lane road into a four-lane dual carriageway, per Treasury documents |
| Wider goal | Dual about 2,500km of trunk roads nationwide, including towards Mau Summit and Kisumu |
| Funding | Tolling is being considered; KeNHA met a local bank on 3 November about financing |
| Studies | The Treasury planned to hire a firm to study engineering, traffic, environmental impact and cost |
| Not yet known | Cost, contractor, timeline and the exact financing model |
Why it is urgent
- A crash at Salama, Makueni County, killed 17 pilgrims; another on 25 October killed 22 passengers.
- Thousands of heavy trucks use the road every day, sharing two lanes with buses, matatus and cars, which makes head-on crashes more likely.
- Makueni's governor and motorists' groups want urgent safety measures at black spots while the bigger project is planned.
What it means for you
- Safer journeys once traffic in each direction is separated.
- Likely tolls, as on the Rironi–Mau Summit road.
- Cheaper trade over time, if faster trips cut transport costs between the port and the region.
Ruto also said plans to expand the Port of Mombasa will be unveiled. Related: Mombasa Road works · NTSA speed cameras · mega projects tracker.
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