Kenya Launches KES 1.3 Billion 17-Kilometer Road Construction Project

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 12, Kenyan President William Ruto announced the launch of the Labuiywo–Kapkoros–Kitechgaa/Kapkoros–Kapsokio–Koisagat road construction project in Nandi County and held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project. The project is planned with an investment of KES 1.3 billion, with the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) responsible for road works procurement. The total length is approximately 17 kilometers, divided into two sections of 8 kilometers and 9 kilometers, both to be newly constructed to bituminous pavement standards.

According to the tender document RWC 857 issued by KeRRA, the first section starts from Labuiywo market center, passes through Kapkoros, and ends at Kitechgaa, with a length of 8 kilometers; the second section starts from Kapkoros, passes through Kapsokio, and extends to Koisagat farm, with a length of 9 kilometers. Both road sections are located in Nandi-Hills Constituency and are organized and implemented as new road construction works.

The engineering design adopts a 6-meter-wide carriageway with 0.5-meter shoulders on each side. The pavement structure includes a 275 mm G15 gravel improved subgrade, a 150 mm graded granular subbase, and a 125 mm base course. The pavement surface course adopts 35 mm thick Type II asphalt concrete, with a surface dressing layer using 10–14 mm pre-coated chippings. The design documents require a minimum California Bearing Ratio of 60% for the subbase and a minimum California Bearing Ratio of 160% for the base course.

Ancillary works include subgrade clearing, earthworks, bridges, box culverts, pipe culverts, drainage facilities, slope and soil erosion protection, traffic signs, and installation of road appurtenances. The drainage works involve pipe culverts with diameters of 600 mm and 900 mm, as well as corresponding inlet and outlet structures. The project also includes necessary relocation of public utilities along the route and maintenance of traffic passage during construction.

KeRRA issued the public tender document for this project in December 2025, with tender number RWC 857, and the original deadline for bid submission was January 23, 2026. The tender conditions stipulate that the contractor shall submit the construction progress schedule within 21 days after receiving the engineer's commencement order, the defect liability period is 12 months, and the two road sections may be accepted separately according to actual completion conditions.

On October 12, the road construction arrangements announced by William Ruto also proposed that this corridor will in the future connect to Nandi Hills and link with the road network leading to Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, and West Pokot, among other areas.