Kenya secures Chinese funding for dangerous Nithi bridge project

The long-awaited reconstruction of the deadly Nithi Bridge is set to begin following an agreement between Kenya and China, which will see the Asian nation finance the project aimed at ending years of fatal accidents along the Embu–Meru road.

The announcement was made by State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed, who described the funding as a major outcome of President William Ruto’s recent visit to the People’s Republic of China.

He said President Ruto held high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, leading to a commitment to support critical connectivity projects in Kenya, including the construction of the Nithi Bridge.

"China agreed to work with Kenya on implementing strategic connectivity development projects," Mohammed said in a statement issued on Thursday.

The deal marks a turning point for the region, where the existing Nithi Bridge, built in the early 1980s, has become notorious for deadly accidents.

The bridge has claimed dozens of lives in the past two decades, earning the grim title of a "killer bridge."

According to the statement, the Nithi Bridge upgrade is part of a broader infrastructure plan that will also include the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway from Naivasha to Malaba, expansion of the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit highway, dualing of the Kiambu–Northern Bypass, and the construction of the Eldoret Bypass.

"These include investments in the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway to Naivasha (Phase II) and from Naivasha to Malaba (Phase III), as well as the expansion and dualing of the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit–Malaba highway, the Kiambu-Northern Bypass, the Eldoret Bypass, and the construction of the Nithi Bridge," the statement reads.

The bridge, which spans a deep gorge, has for years posed a serious danger to motorists.

In 2000, a tragic bus accident at the site left more than 45 people dead.

In 2022, another crash killed 33 people, and just this month, four more lives were lost at the same location. Despite repeated calls for its redesign, the bridge has remained untouched.

Local leaders and residents of Meru and surrounding counties have, over the years, urged successive governments to act.

While the outcry has been loud, actual progress has been slow, with only promises made, particularly during election periods.

During his campaign in 2022, President Ruto and the Kenya Kwanza coalition vowed to address the bridge’s safety issues within six months of taking office.

Two years on, the promise remains unmet, and the bridge continues to be a daily threat to road users.

On March 30, President Ruto acknowledged the delay and explained that the government was evaluating two possible options for the project.

One proposal would cost Sh5 billion and had already been designed.

The second was a more extensive and expensive plan, estimated at Sh50 billion, requiring further deliberation.

"I had tasked the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) and the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) with the responsibility of determining how best to execute the project. There are two possible solutions. One will cost us Sh5 billion, and the plan for it is already designed; the other will cost Sh50 billion, and we’ve been asked to choose," Ruto said at the time.

Despite the slow progress, the deal with China now offers renewed hope that the project could finally take off.

The financial backing and technical support from China are expected to provide the push needed to commence construction.

The dangerous stretch has long been a source of grief for families who have lost loved ones, and a constant concern for those who travel the route.

Many see the latest development as a long-overdue step toward preventing more loss of life.