President Uhuru Officially Commissions the Nairobi Expressway and Eastern Bypass

President Kenyatta has officially commissioned the Nairobi Expressway following the end of the trial period for motorists on Saturday.

Speaking during its commissioning on Sunday, Kenyatta applauded all the stakeholders who ensured that the 27-kilometer dual carriageway is completed within the scheduled time.

“This project began in October 2019, I did direct that an accelerated construction programme be implemented within a target completion date of June 2022. I am pleased to note that the major construction works that were originally envisioned to take 36 months were completed within a period of 18 months,” Kenyatta said.

“I want to thank all Kenyans, particularly the residents of Nairobi who have had to cope with the inconvenience and the disruption that came with the road construction.”

The expressway, the first major project in the country to be carried out through a Public-Private Partnership [PPP] model, begins from Mlolongo through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Nairobi CBD to the Westlands area along Waiyaki Way. 

The Sh88 billion highway has 11 interchanges at Mlolongo, Standard Gauge Railway, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Eastern Bypass, Southern Bypass, Capital Centre, Haile Selassie Avenue, Museum Hill, Westlands, and James Gichuru Road.

Moja Expressway Limited, a subsidiary of the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) which is responsible for designing, financing, and building the highway, will maintain and operate the road for 27 years to recoup its investment through toll fees.

On Sunday, President Kenyatta also opened the 27.8-kilometer Nairobi Eastern Bypass which was expanded from a single two-lane road to a dual four-lane carriageway at a cost of Sh12.5 billion.

The Eastern Bypass connects Mombasa Road to Thika Super Highway at Kamakis, traversing through Embakasi, Utawala, Ruai and Ruiru towns.