In 2022, President William Ruto campaigned on an ambitious development agenda that placed infrastructure at the centre of his plan to transform Kenya, promising roads and other major public projects.Four years later, the record is mixed, with several major infrastructure projects under his administration taking shape, but some have missed their original deadlines, while others remain at different stages of implementation.One of the examples is the Ksh200 billion Rironi-Mau Summit highway expansion, which was initially expected to be completed by August 2026 but has now been pushed to June 2027.Ruto launched the 175-kilometre project in November 2025 under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) involving China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), with the project covering the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit and Nairobi-Mai Mahiu-Naivasha routes.Although the deadline has shifted, Transport Cabinet Secretary David Chirchir said on September 9 that the Rironi-Naivasha section would be fully dualled by October 30, 2026, meaning motorists could begin benefiting from the upgraded road before the entire project is completed.Another project that has experienced changing timelines is the Ksh2 billion Green Park Terminus Pedestrian Underpass in Nairobi.The 500-metre underground network was initially projected to open in September 2025 after reaching 88 per cent completion in May, before the target was moved to December 2025 and later to June 2026.The project, being implemented by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and constructed by CRBC, is designed to separate pedestrians from vehicles around Haile Selassie Avenue-Uhuru Highway roundabout and includes solar-powered CCTV cameras linked to the KeNHA control room and an on-site police post with a holding facility.Away from Nairobi, the government is also implementing the 740-kilometre Isiolo-Mandera highway, which is intended to improve connectivity to northern Kenya.Construction is about 60 per cent complete, with completion now scheduled for June 30, 2030, three years later than the initial 2028 target.The Ksh168 billion highway has secured full financing, with the World Bank funding 508 kilometres, the African Development Bank financing the Elwak-Rhamu section, and Arab development banks supporting the Samatar-Wajir section.The delays affecting some projects have largely been linked to the complexity of implementing major infrastructure, including financing arrangements, changes in project requirements and the restructuring of projects inherited from previous administrations.The Rironi-Mau Summit highway, for instance, was initiated under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, with the project initially awarded to French company Vinci Highways SAS. The deal was terminated in March 2025 over concerns about proposed toll rates and government payment obligations.Ruto’s administration subsequently moved to a new Public-Private Partnership arrangement, with CRBC-NSSF taking up some sections and Shandong Hi-Speed Road and Bridge International Engineering Limited taking the Gilgil-Mau Summit section.Meanwhile, the government has also announced plans for new infrastructure projects whose implementation remains less certain.In February 2026, Ruto said he would return to Thika in September to begin construction of a 60-kilometre expressway aimed at easing congestion along the heavily populated Thika Road corridor.“I have a plan. Just as we constructed the expressway from JKIA to Westlands, I will return here in September to begin construction of the expressway from Thika,” Ruto said in February 2026.However, with September now underway, the government has yet to provide a major public update confirming the commencement of construction, leaving the project in the category of promises awaiting execution.At the same time, work is progressing on the Ksh4.5 billion capacity enhancement, landscaping and beautification project along the 27-kilometre JKIA-ABC Place route, with KeNHA and CRBC implementing the project, which is intended to improve the appearance of the key route.Heavy excavation and construction of underground drainage channels are underway on sections of the highway, while damaged areas caused by construction of the Nairobi Expressway are being addressed.The government has therefore made significant progress on several infrastructure projects during Ruto’s first four years, with some nearing completion and others already delivering improvements in sections, but the record also shows that the government has breached several deadlines.
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