The Public Private Partnerships (PPP) Directorate has rejected the proposed construction of the Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway, citing failure to meet critical feasibility requirements.
According to the National Treasury’s Project Progress and Status Report dated July 5, 2025, the Ksh468 billion Usahihi Express project did not pass key evaluation tests required for final approval.
Initially approved in December 2023, the project had been cleared to proceed to the development and feasibility stage. This phase included the preparation and submission of a Project Development Report (PDR) for review. However, following a thorough analysis, the PPP Directorate determined on July 2 that the report failed to meet essential standards.
“The proposal may, however, be resubmitted to the Committee for a fresh determination in line with Section 43 (12) of the PPP Act, 2021,” the report noted.
The expressway, under the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), was designed as a 419-kilometre, four-lane greenfield project stretching from Nairobi to Mombasa. It aimed to transform one of East Africa’s most vital trade corridors by easing traffic congestion and reducing travel time.
First conceived in 2016 as part of Kenya’s Vision 2030, the Usahihi Express was projected to cut the journey between the capital and the coastal city from ten hours to five, enabling speeds of up to 120 km/h. The project was to be implemented in three main segments, subdivided into ten construction zones covering regions such as Machakos, Sultan Hamud, and Mariakani.
With the current rejection, the future of the project now depends on revisions that meet the stringent criteria set by the PPP Directorate before it can be reconsidered.
