Sh7.5bn contract awarded to China Wu Yi to fix deadly Nithi Bridge stretch

Plans to address one of the country’s most dangerous road sections have advanced after authorities awarded a Sh7.5 billion contract for the reconstruction and realignment of Nithi Bridge.

The project has been handed to China Wu Yi Company Limited after a competitive procurement process overseen by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), which confirmed that the contractor is expected to move to site following the signing of the agreement in April.

The undertaking forms part of ongoing infrastructure works under President William Ruto’s administration, with focus on improving safety along high-risk road corridors.

Official records indicate that the firm, which operates as an overseas arm of Fujian Construction Engineering Group, will execute the works within a three-year period, with completion targeted for August 7, 2029. The company has previously been involved in major road projects in the country, including sections of the Thika Superhighway.

The scope of the project covers a 2.7-kilometre realignment between Marima and Mitheru shopping centres, as well as the construction of a new 880-metre bridge spanning the Nithi valley. KeNHA has already shared the proposed design, describing it as one of the most ambitious and costly road crossings expected in the country.

The existing stretch has for years been associated with repeated fatal crashes due to its steep gradient and sharp bends. Despite warning signage and rumble strips installed to alert motorists, accidents have continued, with reports indicating that over 100 lives have been lost in recent years along the section.

The new design aims to correct the hazardous layout by reducing the steep descent and removing sharp curves that have made the area a persistent black spot. Government officials have consistently assured residents in Tharaka-Nithi and surrounding regions that a permanent solution would be implemented.

“[On] the Nithi Bridge issue we agreed with you that this bridge will stop killing the people of Tharaka-Nithi and here in Meru. We are already planning to prepare this year’s budget. The money to replace the bridge and even the road should not be as prob- lematic as that.” Ruto told congregants at a church in Tharaka-Nithi in 2023.

With the 2027 General Election drawing closer, the project is among those the government appears keen to deliver. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki recently said preparations are complete and construction will begin soon.

“We now have the funds and the public has already been engaged for their input. Soon, I will bring the contractor to start construction,” he said in Tigania East on February 25.

Once completed, the bridge will feature an eight-metre dual carriageway with two-metre walkways on either side to improve safety for motorists and pedestrians. Engineers have also limited the gradient to a maximum of 8 per cent to make the road safer for users.

The structure will cross the Nithi River and be supported by massive pillars, some rising up to 100 metres from the valley floor. Because the new alignment differs from the current road, engineers say traffic disruption during construction will be minimal.