The government has approved the dualling of the 23.5-kilometre Muthaiga–Kiambu–Ndumberi road, commonly known as Kiambu Road, to reduce traffic congestion and improve connectivity between Nairobi and Kiambu counties.
According to a Cabinet brief released on Tuesday, the expansion project will transform the current two-lane highway into a modern dual carriageway. The upgraded road will include bypasses, loops, and access roads to increase capacity and shorten travel times for thousands of commuters who use the route daily.
The project will also feature non-motorised transport (NMT) lanes and commuter facilities to improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists. “The corridor, serving Muthaiga, Runda, Ridgeways, and Kiambu Town, currently experiences chronic traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours,” the Cabinet noted.
The Muthaiga–Kiambu–Ndumberi corridor is one of the busiest routes connecting Nairobi’s northern suburbs to Kiambu County, an area experiencing rapid residential and commercial growth. Once completed, the upgraded road is expected to ease movement, enhance economic productivity, and improve the overall commuting experience.
In July, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) announced that the project would significantly improve traffic flow along the eastern part of the Nairobi Metropolitan area. It will target key corridors, including sections of Kiambu Road and the Thika Superhighway.
KeNHA revealed that the works will be implemented under the Engineer-Procure-Construct (EPC) model, guided by the FIDIC Silver Book framework. This international standard ensures cost and time certainty by assigning greater performance responsibility to the contractor.
Additionally, six pedestrian footbridges will be constructed along the route to improve safety. The project will also include service lanes on both sides and enhancements to adjoining spurs such as Ridgeways Road, UN Avenue through Runda, and Kiambu Road to Thika Road.
The dualling project aligns with Kenya Vision 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals on infrastructure and mobility, reflecting the government’s broader commitment to modernising the Nairobi Metropolitan transport network.
