Sakaja rolls out ambitious road projects to transform livelihoods

Nairobi is in the middle of one of its most ambitious infrastructure makeovers in years, with Governor Johnson Sakaja betting big on roads as the foundation of the city’s renewal.

From industrial zones and crowded estates to quiet suburbs and emerging neighbourhoods, dozens of projects are underway, promising to change how the city moves and works.

The county government, working hand in hand with the Kenya Urban Roads Authority, is pushing through a regeneration programme that has spread across the city.

Once complete, more than 50 kilometres of roads will open up smoother, safer and faster travel for millions of residents.

Governor Sakaja says most of the works will be completed before the end of the year, marking a turning point in the city’s long struggle with neglected roads, clogged drains and endless traffic jams.

“All mwananchi wants is good roads. They don’t care whether a road is under the national government, the county, or an MP,” Sakaja told residents during a tour of ongoing works.

“We are partnering closely with the national government and I can assure Nairobians that many of these roads will be done within weeks if the weather holds.”

Nowhere is the impact of the facelift more visible than in the Industrial Area and Eastleigh, the capital’s commercial engines.

Contractors are rehabilitating Kitui Road and Road C in Industrial Area, repairing bases, fixing drainage and laying new asphalt to ease cargo movement in and out of warehouses.

In Eastleigh, there are works on Hombe, Muinami and Quarry roads. For years, residents and traders complained about muddy paths and collapsed drains.

Now, those are being rebuilt, restoring order to one of the busiest trading hubs in the city. “Industrial Area and Eastleigh are Nairobi’s beating economic hearts.

Fixing these roads directly supports our traders and manufacturers,” the governor said.

In Starehe, improvements are ongoing along Chai Road, Kombo Munyiri and Mweni Road.

These feeder roads, crucial for connecting estates to the CBD, are already at four per cent progress.

Suburbs and estates

The facelift stretches to Kilimani, Lavington, Dagoreti and Kileleshwa, where patchwork repairs had long failed to keep up with traffic.

In Lavington, projects on Jacaranda Avenue, Karandini and Hatheru roads are already at 10 per cent progress, while Garden Estate in Roysambu is leading with a quarter of the work done.

Residents say they have waited years for proper roads. “We hope this time the works won’t stop halfway,” said Mama Mwasia, a kiosk owner.

Sakaja says the aim is fairness. “Our suburbs deserve the same attention as the CBD. Nairobians want decent roads where they live, raise families and commute from daily.”

In Embakasi East, the Sh204 million Mihango Bypass is being rebuilt, a 5.4-kilometre link road expected to ease gridlock in some of the most crowded estates.

Umoja and Fedha are also seeing major upgrades, including new walkways and drainage systems. “Embakasi, Umoja, Fedha and Komarock carry Nairobi’s largest commuter populations.

These works will decongest key arteries, ease access to schools and hospitals and uplift living standards,” Sakaja said.

The bigger picture beyond the city centre, the county is also pushing works in Zimmerman, Kabete, Thindigwa and Parklands.

General Mathenge Drive, Brookside Drive and 3rd Parklands Avenue are among the roads being rebuilt with drainage and pedestrian paths.

“These neighbourhoods may not make headlines every day, but the roads we are upgrading there will raise property values, attract businesses and make commuting smoother,” the governor said.

With most projects between two and 25 per cent complete, the administration is racing against time to deliver. Sakaja insists Nairobians will see the difference before the year is out.

“By December, the potholes, the dust and the congestion will give way to safer, cleaner and more efficient roads. That is our promise,” he said.

For millions of residents, the transformation is about more than tarmac, it is about saving time, cutting vehicle repair costs, boosting neighbourhood value, and restoring pride in a city long plagued by broken infrastructure.