President William Ruto has once again turned his attention to the vote-rich Mt Kenya region, announcing a fresh multi-billion-shilling infrastructure promise as the 2027 General Election draws nearer.
Speaking during the 62nd Jamhuri Day celebrations at Nyayo Stadium on Friday, December 12, the President revealed plans to construct a 60-kilometre expressway linking Nairobi City to Thika town in Kiambu County.
The announcement – which comes amid growing political restlessness in the region – is widely seen as part of Ruto’s renewed charm offensive to reassure Mt Kenya residents of his commitment to development. Ruto said the new expressway would complement the existing Thika Road and ease the heavy congestion that thousands of commuters face daily.
According to the Head of State, construction of the expressway is expected to begin in 2026, starting near Museum Hill interchange and terminating in Thika town. “A lot of Kenyans live in Thika, and the current Thika Road is very congested… Next year, we will construct an expressway from Thika to Nairobi at Museum Hill,” he declared, though he did not provide an exact start date.
The President also used the event to outline additional road infrastructure projects connecting Nairobi to neighbouring counties such as Kajiado and Machakos – a move analysts say mirrors his broader strategy of shoring up regional support ahead of the next polls.
Ruto’s renewed infrastructure pledges come at a time when Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi is pushing for Thika to be elevated to Kenya’s fifth city, an ambition that would require significant investment in road and urban infrastructure. Notably, the promise of a Nairobi-Thika expressway is not entirely new; KeNHA had floated a similar plan in August last year, with Wamatangi touting it as a catalyst for transforming Thika into an industrial Smart City.
For now, design work and public consultations are still pending – but the timing of Ruto’s announcement has already stirred fresh debate, with critics arguing that the expressway pledge is yet another political sweetener aimed at keeping Mt Kenya firmly in his corner as 2027 approaches.