President William Ruto has said his government will begin building a 60-kilometre expressway linking Nairobi to Thika next year, signalling one of the most ambitious road projects the country has seen in recent years.

Speaking at the 62nd Jamhuri Day celebrations in Nairobi on Friday, the President said the new road was needed to ease heavy traffic on the existing Thika Superhighway, one of the busiest commuter routes in Kenya.

“A lot of Kenyans live in Thika, and the current Thika road is very congested,” Mr Ruto told the crowd at Nyayo Stadium. “I want to announce that next year, we will construct an expressway from Thika to Nairobi at Museum Hill.”

The proposed highway would start near the current Nairobi Expressway at Museum Hill interchange and run all the way to Thika town in Kiambu County. While the President did not give a firm date for the start of construction, he said the plan was intended to improve the daily commute for thousands travelling between the two urban centres.

Mr Ruto also acknowledged the strain on infrastructure around Nairobi, saying many Kenyans spend hours each day moving between the capital and nearby counties such as Kiambu, Machakos and Kajiado. He said his government would prioritise additional major road links to ease that pressure.

The idea of a Nairobi–Thika expressway is not new. In August last year, the Kenya National Highways Authority said it was working on designs for a similar route. Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi, who has been pushing to elevate Thika to Kenya’s fifth city, has long argued that modern infrastructure is essential for the town’s future.

At the time, Governor Wamatangi said the new road network would help turn Thika into what he described as an industrial “smart city”. He explained that engineers were completing design work before the plans move to public consultations. “Once this stage is done, the project can begin,” he said then.

While many commuters have welcomed the renewed pledge, questions remain about funding, timelines and the long-term impact on existing neighbourhoods and businesses along the proposed corridor. The government has yet to release detailed plans, leaving transport analysts and residents waiting to see how the project will be executed.

For now, the President’s promise adds fresh momentum to a long-discussed vision—one that could reshape travel and trade in the wider Nairobi metropolitan area if it gets off the ground.