By Robert Mutasi 
President William Ruto has announced plans to construct a major four-lane dual carriageway connecting Mau Summit to the Eldoret-Malaba Highway, with Uasin Gishu County expected to benefit from the expanded road network.
The proposed infrastructure project is expected to improve connectivity between the North Rift, Western Kenya and the South Rift, potentially strengthening Eldoret’s position as a major commercial, transport and agricultural hub.
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Speaking during an interdenominational church service at Nyamaiya Stadium in Nyamira County on Sunday, November 8, 2026, President Ruto said the government plans to begin the next phase of the road expansion programme around April 2027.
The announcement comes as the government prioritises completion of the KSh200 billion Rironi-Mau Summit Highway, which the President identified as the immediate priority before embarking on additional major road projects.
According to Ruto, the planned highway will begin at Mau Summit in Nakuru County before extending through Kericho, Bomet, Nyamira and Kisii counties.
The Kisii-Kisumu Highway will also be expanded into a four-lane dual carriageway, connecting Kisii, Homa Bay and Kisumu counties before linking with the Eldoret-Malaba Highway.
The wider road programme is expected to improve connections across several counties, including Nandi and Uasin Gishu, through its link to the Eldoret-Malaba corridor.
“The biggest road project we are undertaking is the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Highway, which will be ready by next year. However, I want to extend the road from Mau Summit through Kericho, Nyamira and Kisii to Kisumu, where it will connect to the Eldoret-Malaba Highway. That is my assignment for next year,” Ruto stated.
The proposed connection is significant for Uasin Gishu because Eldoret serves as a strategic gateway linking the North Rift region to Western Kenya and neighbouring Uganda.
Once implemented, the expanded road network could provide motorists, traders and transport operators with improved access between Eldoret, Kisumu, Kisii, Kericho and other towns along the proposed corridor.
The announcement comes amid ongoing government plans to upgrade the Eldoret-Malaba Highway through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
The approximately 243-kilometre Eldoret-Malaba road project is expected to improve transport between Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Bungoma and Busia counties before extending to the Kenya-Uganda border.
The project is currently at the preparatory and feasibility assessment stage, following the completion of a pre-feasibility study in February 2026.
The study was undertaken through collaboration involving the Public-Private Partnerships Authority, Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
The planned upgrade is expected to strengthen the Northern Corridor, which plays a critical role in transporting agricultural produce, manufactured goods and imported cargo between the Port of Mombasa, inland Kenya and neighbouring East African countries.
For Uasin Gishu, improved connectivity through Eldoret could support agricultural transportation, logistics businesses, trade and movement of passengers.
Eldoret is a major agricultural and commercial centre in the North Rift, making efficient road connections important to farmers, businesses and transporters operating across the region.
Apart from the Mau Summit-Kisumu-Eldoret connection, President Ruto indicated that the government was also preparing to expand the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.
According to the President, feasibility studies and highway designs for the Nairobi-Mombasa expansion have already been completed, with construction expected to begin in 2027.
However, the government is prioritising the completion of the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Highway before proceeding with the additional projects.
The proposed road investments form part of the government’s wider infrastructure expansion programme aimed at improving national connectivity and supporting economic activities.
For residents and businesses in Uasin Gishu, the planned connection to the expanded highway network could create new opportunities through improved access to regional markets, particularly as Eldoret continues to grow as an important economic centre in western Kenya.
The key question now is whether the proposed 2027 construction timeline will be matched by timely project financing, procurement and implementation.
EldoretLeo 
Baraka Simba