The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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President William Ruto has secured funding from China for the long-awaited reconstruction of the hazardous Nithi Bridge along the Embu–Meru highway—an area notorious for frequent and deadly accidents.
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The announcement, made on April 24 by State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed, marks a significant milestone following President Ruto’s official visit to the People’s Republic of China. According to Mohammed, the Nithi Bridge upgrade is among several key infrastructure projects agreed upon during bilateral talks between President Ruto and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“China has committed to working with Kenya on the implementation of critical connectivity projects,” Mohammed said.
The deal includes not only the Nithi Bridge construction but also expanded investment in major infrastructure ventures such as the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Malaba and the dualing of the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit–Malaba highway, as well as upgrades to the Kiambu-Northern Bypass and Eldoret Bypass.
Ruto had previously vowed to deliver the Nithi Bridge project by 2027. Speaking on March 30, he revealed that the government was evaluating two construction proposals: one estimated at KSh5 billion with a ready design, and another more extensive option at KSh50 billion.
Since its construction in the early 1980s, the Nithi Bridge has been dubbed the “killer bridge” due to a string of fatal accidents. Over the decades, numerous tragedies—including a 2000 bus crash that killed over 45 people, a 2022 accident that claimed 33 lives, and the most recent crash in April 2024 that killed four—have made it a symbol of Kenya’s persistent road safety challenges.
Despite repeated appeals from leaders and communities in Meru and neighboring areas, past administrations failed to deliver tangible upgrades. During the 2022 campaign, the Kenya Kwanza coalition pledged to address the bridge’s safety within 180 days of assuming office. Yet, two years later, meaningful progress had yet to be seen—until now.
With China’s financial backing, the long-delayed project finally appears set to move forward.
