Kenyan officials have announced plans to collaborate with Chinese partners on a major infrastructure initiative designed to address severe traffic congestion along the critical Nairobi-Thika transport corridor. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki revealed the proposed overpass project during a recent Kenya-China business forum in Nairobi, positioning it as a strategic enhancement to the country’s transportation network.
The envisioned 50-kilometer overpass would be constructed along the existing Thika Superhighway, a vital artery originally built with Chinese engineering expertise and financing that opened in 2012. This new infrastructure endeavor represents Kenya’s latest engagement with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, reinforcing bilateral cooperation in African infrastructure development.
President William Ruto’s administration has targeted September 2026 for the commencement of construction activities. The elevated expressway aims to significantly improve connectivity between Nairobi and the industrial center of Thika while extending Kenya’s transportation capabilities to central, eastern, and northern regions.
Kindiki emphasized that such infrastructure investments strengthen Kenya’s position as a regional trade and logistics hub, complementing previous Chinese-supported projects including the Standard Gauge Railway and Nairobi Expressway. The deputy president specifically highlighted the project’s potential to attract Chinese manufacturing and distribution investments seeking access to African markets through Kenya’s participation in multiple continental trade agreements.
Through memberships in the East African Community, COMESA, and the African Continental Free Trade Area, Kenya offers foreign investors gateway access to a combined market of over 1.4 billion people with an estimated collective GDP approaching $2.83 trillion.