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Traffic on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway was halted due to protests by local youths demanding job opportunities in the Rironi-Mau Summit road expansion project. Demonstrators blocked the road, claiming that most jobs were given to outsiders despite the project being in their area. Naivasha Deputy County Commissioner intervened to restore order and address their concerns.
Africa-Press – Kenya. Traffic along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway was brought to a standstill after residents staged protests over what they described as exclusion from job opportunities in the ongoing road expansion project.
The demonstrators on Thursday morning blocked a section of the highway using stones, disrupting transport and forcing motorists to seek alternative routes.
The protest, which took place in the Mithuri area of Naivasha, saw frustrated residents demand immediate absorption into the employment opportunities linked to the Rironi-Mau Summit highway expansion project.
Many of the youths expressed their disappointment, arguing that despite the project being implemented within their residence, most job opportunities had allegedly been given to outsiders.
Following the unrest, Naivasha Deputy County Commissioner Josiah Odongo intervened to calm the situation and reopen the road, which had been entirely blocked.
Addressing the crowd, Odongo urged the protesters to remain patient, assuring them that mechanisms were being put in place to ensure fair distribution of available job opportunities.
The intervention helped to de-escalate the situation, which had begun to get out of hand, with the highway gradually reopened to motorists after several hours of disruption.
The latest development comes just a month after President William Ruto’s administration announced that the ongoing Rironi-Mau Summit road expansion had provided over 10,000 jobs to Kenyans.
The highway is a critical transport route which links Nairobi to the Western and Nyanza regions, but has, for years, been impacted by heavy congestion, especially during peak seasons.
Its ongoing dualing, which is currently being undertaken by two Chinese companies for Ksh200 billion, is expected to ease traffic flow, reduce travel time and improve road safety once completed.
It is being done under the Public-Private Partnership by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), National Social Security Fund Board of Trustees (NSSF) Consortium and Shandong High-Speed Group.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, while speaking during a site visit on March 12, said the project was progressing steadily, with the Kamandura-Nakuru section expected to open by June 2026.
The Nairobi-Nakuru highway is a vital transport link in Kenya, connecting the capital to the western and Nyanza regions. Over the years, it has faced significant congestion issues, particularly during peak travel times. The ongoing expansion project aims to alleviate these problems by improving road safety and reducing travel times, while also providing job opportunities to locals. However, tensions have arisen when residents feel excluded from these opportunities, leading to protests and demands for fair employment practices.
