Part of the Ngong-Suswa highway/COURTESYThe government has announced the full completion and opening of the 66-kilometer Ngong-Suswa highway, marking the end of years of delays, funding disruptions, and stalled construction.
According to the State Department of Roads, the project, first launched in 2018, has now been fully delivered and is open for public use. The highway forms a crucial alternative corridor out of Nairobi through Ngong, easing pressure on the busy Nairobi–Mai Mahiu and Narok routes.
“This road is now complete and open. Motorists can expect a smoother, safer, and more direct connection between Ngong and Suswa,” the ministry said in a statement.
The project, which had frustrated residents and travellers across Kajiado and Narok counties for years due its delay, now unlocks fresh opportunities for trade, tourism, and efficient movement across the region.
The Sh4 billion project was initially set for completion in 42 months but stalled in 2020 after the contractor abandoned the site due to financial constraints.
By December 2024, the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KURA) had indicated it was 88 percent complete. KURA Resident Engineer Kenneth Mbogori had at the time expressed optimism that improved funding would push the project over the finish line. That optimism has now materialised.
“We faced real challenges, especially with funding disruptions,” he said then.
“But with renewed support, the project picked up pace, and we are delighted that the road is finally operational.”
The highway is expected to significantly ease congestion on the Nairobi-Mai Mahiu road, one of the country’s busiest truck and passenger corridors, notorious for snarl-ups and frequent accidents.
The new Ngong–Suswa route offers motorists an alternative path to Narok, Bomet, Kericho, Kisii, Nyamira, and the greater Nyanza region. For many motorists, the corridor also presents a more scenic and less stressful drive, cutting across savannah plains and offering panoramic views of the Rift Valley.
Local leaders have welcomed the completion, saying it will unlock economic activity, enhance livestock and farm produce markets, and revitalise towns long affected by stalled works.
Kajiado West MP George Sunkuiya, who, during a past inspection tour of the project, said the highway would revive economic momentum that had slowed after construction stalled.
“This is a cheap and efficient alternative route to Narok. The economy here had begun to grow before the delays hit. Now we expect renewed business, especially in livestock trade and agribusiness,” he said.
Kajiado North MP Onesmus Ngongoyo stated that the road would “spur the much-needed growth in Ngong town and its environs,” boosting tourism, real estate, and transport connectivity.
The Ngong-Suswa Highway was among the flagship roads prioritised by President William Ruto for completion under his administration’s focus on clearing stalled infrastructure projects.
Last year, Parliament was told that the Ministry of Transport had allocated Sh600 million to push the project forward. Its completion now marks a major win for communities along the corridor and for the government’s infrastructure agenda.
With fresh tarmac now stretching from Ngong to Suswa, thousands of motorists, farmers, traders and holiday travellers are expected to benefit immediately from faster, safer, and more reliable journeys.
