NECSA Kenya Letter to the Director General of the Kenya National Highways Authority
- Category: Policy Research & Analysis
- Date 30-01-2026
In pursuit of the intention and communiques from the government regarding the construction of the Rironi - Mau Summit Highway, the National Environment Civil Society Alliance of Kenya (NECSA-K) wrote a letter to the Director - General of the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to present some of the concerns and suggestions of they business communities based in the counties traversed by the highway. The letter is as below. The signed letter can be downloaded here
"Director - General
Kenya National Highways Authority
P.O. Box 49712–00100 Nairobi.
29 March 2022
Dear Sir or Madam:
Subject: Views of the business community on the impact of the construction of the Rironi-Naivasha-Nakuru-Mau Summit Expressway on their businesses.
Introduction
The National Environment Civil Society Alliance of Kenya (NECSA-K) is an umbrella platform for over 60 civil society organizations working in environment and natural resources management in Kenya.
NECSA-K is aware that plans are underway to improve the existing A8 South and the A8 Road, collectively referred to as the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Highway. NECSA-K is also aware that the project is a public-private partnership. We are also cognizant of the fact that the A8 Road component will involve the widening and rehabilitation from two lanes to four lane carriageways along the existing alignment from Rironi to Mau Summit (175 km) while the A8 South Road component will involve the rehabilitation of the existing 58km 2 lanes A8 South from Rironi to Naivasha.
On 25 March 2022, NECSA-K with support from WFF-Kenya organized a workshop to receive the views of the business community who live and work along the route of the proposed Highway. The leaders of the business communities were drawn from: Soko
Mjinga, Soko Mpya (Flyover), Salgaa and Kibunja (Molo Junction).
The business community leaders raised the following issues, which we would like to bring to your attention.
- Establishment of a feedback and community comments validation mechanism to ensure that the aspirations of communities are factored in decision making processes on the development of the Expressway.
- Establishment of a grievance and conflict management mechanism including making public the key contact persons of the project management team such as the project manager, the community liaison personnel, and grievance resolution officers.
- The design of the road should be responsive to context specific needs. That is, the proponent should build interchanges, underpasses, service lanes, overpasses, footbridges, and adequate parking as required.
- The project proponent should adopt all the community proposals and requests presented during public consultation processes, including:
- Compensation to all traders including hawkers, greengrocery vendors, and shop owners
- Embracing public consultation in the implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects. These should prioritize water projects, building and equipping hospitals and constructing casualty wings at the existing health centers along the Expressway; and supporting education programmes.
- Providing and improving facilities like baby care units and washrooms in market centers along the Expressway.
- Ensure proper storm water management and waste disposal mechanisms to avert environmental and public health disasters.
- Provide timely written notices for eviction and consider providing alternative sale points for the small-scale traders.
- Continuous sensitization and training of the affected communities on the effects of the Expressway and how best to manage the impacts.
Yours Faithfully,
Dominic Walubengo PhD
CO-Chair,
National Environment Civil Society Alliance-Kenya (NECSA)
And Director, Forest Action Network
P.O. Box 380-0517 Nairobi,
Kenya
Email: Waluwande@gmail.com
Telephone 0733–750-929"