Infrastructure

Thika Road: Mwai Kibaki’s Legacy Project

The highway was split into three sections for construction works.

Updated on

January 5, 2025

Thika Road (also known as Thika Superhighway) is an 8-lane highway, expanding to 12 lanes in some sections, connecting Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, to the industrial town of Thika.

It spans 50 km of the A2 Highway, a section of the Cape to Cairo Road, connecting Namanga on the Tanzania-Kenya border to Moyale, a border town with Ethiopia.

When Was Thika Superhighway Constructed?

Construction of Thika Road began in January 2009 and was completed in May 2012, ahead of its official inauguration by President Mwai Kibaki in November 2012.

How Much Did Thika Superhighway Cost?

The construction of Thika Road was completed at a cost of US$360 million (Sh32 billion at that time), with funding sourced from the African Development Bank (US$180 million), Exim Bank of China (US$100 million), and the Kenyan government (US$80 million).

The project, which also involved constructing interchanges, flyovers, box culverts, and pipe culverts, was divided into three sections covering a total of 50.4 km of multi-lane road.

These sections were:

1. Uhuru Highway – Muthaiga Roundabout

The construction works for the Uhuru Highway to Muthaiga Roundabout section involved expanding University Way to eight lanes from six, providing a four-lane flyover across Globe Roundabout, expanding Murang’a Road to six lanes, constructing an underpass at Pangani, and building a flyover at Muthaiga Roundabout. Footpaths were also added.

Works on the Forest Road – Museum Road – Museum Hill Roundabout section involved expanding Forest Road to six lanes from four, expanding Museum Hill Road to six lanes, providing a forked flyover on Limuru Road, and constructing footpaths.

This section was built by China Wu Yi Co., Ltd.

2. Muthaiga Roundabout – Kenyatta University

The Muthaiga Roundabout to Kenyatta University section was designed as a high-speed superhighway with limited access and exits. Works involved expanding the carriageway to eight lanes (Muthaiga – Kasarani) and six lanes (Kasarani – Kenyatta University).

The project also included the construction of underpasses at Kahawa and Kenyatta University, an interchange at GSU roundabout, flyovers at Kasarani and Githurai roundabouts, an underpass at Roasters, a subway at Survey of Kenya, and the provision of footpaths.

This section was built by Sinohydro Corp., Ltd.

3. Kenyatta University – Thika Town

Works on the Kenyatta University to Thika section included expanding the carriageway to six lanes up to Juja, constructing a six-lane flyover at the Eastern Bypass, building underpasses at Ruiru Sports Club and Mang’u High School, as well as providing footpaths.

This section was built by Shengli Engineering Co., Ltd.