The Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway Project, also known as the Usahihi Express, has hit a serious obstacle after the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) Committee rejected the development proposal.
The expressway was expected to cost Ksh468 billion and stretch over 419 kilometres, connecting the capital city Nairobi to the coastal city of Mombasa.
The road was designed to be a four-lane highway and was seen as a game-changing infrastructure project that would cut travel time between the two cities from around ten hours to just five.
It was a major promise of faster travel, better transport for goods, and more investment opportunities along the route. The project was being driven by Everstrong Capital, a US-based infrastructure investment firm, under a Public-Private Partnership model.
In December 2023, Everstrong received approval to go ahead and begin the feasibility study and project development. The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) was selected as the official contracting authority to work with the firm throughout the process.
For several months, Everstrong worked on technical studies and prepared a detailed Project Development Report (PDR), which they submitted to the PPP Committee for review.However, things took a wrong turn on July 2, 2025, when the PPP Committee announced that the report did not meet the required standards.
According to the committee, the proposal had failed to satisfy the necessary legal and technical benchmarks as outlined in Section 43(11)(c) of the PPP Act, 2021.
As a result, the development stage of the project was declared invalid, and the proposal was to be dropped in its current form. In a statement, the committee said the PDR did not meet the relevant criteria and must be abandoned.
Still, there is a glimmer of hope. The committee also mentioned that the proposal could be resubmitted for a fresh review if it meets the legal and technical expectations laid out in Section 43(12) of the PPP Act.
This means the Usahihi Expressway is not completely dead, but it will require Everstrong Capital to go back to the drawing board, improve the report, and make sure every requirement is met.
The highway had raised hopes among Kenyans, especially those involved in transport and logistics. It was supposed to allow vehicles to cruise at 120 km/h, easing traffic and boosting business movement.
Everstrong had suggested a toll-based system for funding, with heavy commercial vehicles required to use the expressway. These vehicles were expected to contribute up to 75 per cent of the revenue.
According to Kyle McCarter, Senior Advisor at Everstrong Capital, the expressway could bring in up to Ksh1 trillion in long-term revenue after completion.With this rejection, it is now clear that proper planning and adherence to rules remain crucial, no matter how big or ambitious a project is.
The PPP Committee’s decision shows that the government is not willing to bend the rules for any investor, and that public-private partnerships must follow the right process.
The fate of the Nairobi-Mombasa expressway now hangs in the balance, with a fresh proposal being the only hope for revival.
