Kenya is close to completing the long-delayed 70-kilometre Ngong-Suswa highway, a project launched in 2018 with an original construction timeline of 42 months but stalled for years by funding shortages.
The 4-billion-shilling ($31 million) road links Nairobi to Ngong and onward to Suswa, creating an alternative route to the heavily congested Nairobi–Mai Mahiu and Narok highways, which carry dense truck and passenger traffic and are prone to accidents.
The government said on X that the new corridor will significantly ease congestion along a key domestic and regional trade route while supporting growth in tourism, local commerce, and community development.
Ngong-Suswa was listed among priority national road projects, and authorities had earlier planned to issue sovereign bonds to clear payment arrears owed to contractors in order to accelerate completion.
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However, with tax revenues under pressure and public debt rising, Kenya is now turning to public-private partnerships (PPPs) to fund infrastructure development.
The PPP approach is being applied to major projects including the expansion of the 94-kilometre Gilgil-Nakuru-Mau Summit section of the Northern Corridor, where construction began last week.
To further reduce reliance on external borrowing and strengthen long-term project financing, the government also plans to establish both a National Infrastructure Fund and a Sovereign Fund aimed at attracting more private capital into large public works.
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Image Credit: The Star
