Nairobi — Motorists' lobby has dismissed the government's decision to dual the 23.5-kilometre Muthaiga-Kiambu-Ndumberi (Kiambu) Road as a "pre-election spectacle," warning that the project will destroy businesses along the busy corridor.
The Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK), in a statement on Tuesday night, asserted that while the government presented the project as a congestion-easing intervention, it risks turning into a politically timed showpiece with little long-term transport value and serious economic implications for residents and traders along the route.
"What the Cabinet has announced sounds shiny on paper, but there are several sober, evidence-based reasons why this policy shouldn't [be] rushed just to tick a political box before elections," the association stated hours after a Cabinet resolution on the matter.
"Election seasons usually come with cosmetic promises, fresh paint on neglected roads, and quick wins for political optics. But Kiambu Road is not a playground for political grandstanding."
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Slow traffic for business
MAK argued that the proposed dual carriageway would fundamentally alter the character of the corridor, turning it into a high-speed thoroughfare and cutting off access to hundreds of businesses that rely on slow, local traffic.
The association said dualling typically requires large-scale land acquisition, redesign of service roads, and removal of roadside establishments -- actions that would cripple small enterprises and transform a vibrant commercial strip into a commuter highway.
The motorists' body further warned that the introduction of high-speed traffic will undermine pedestrian and local mobility, leaving residents, cyclists, and boda boda operators stranded on either side of the divided highway and creating a safety crisis instead of improving mobility.
The Cabinet approved the dualling of the Muthaiga-Kiambu-Ndumberi Road on Tuesday, citing the need to ease traffic congestion and enhance connectivity between Nairobi and Kiambu counties.
A Cabinet dispatch indicated the project will include bypasses, loop roads, service lanes, and facilities for non-motorised transport and commuters.
It forms part of the government's broader plan to modernise transport infrastructure within the Nairobi Metropolitan area.
