Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has linked French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Kenya with the controversial cancellation of the Rironi-Mau Summit Road project, claiming taxpayers lost billions of shillings through the failed deal.
Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi on Tuesday, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader alleged that Kenya paid about Ksh7 billion following the collapse of the French-backed road construction agreement.
The Rironi-Mau Summit Road project had initially been proposed as a major infrastructure upgrade along the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway corridor. The road was expected to ease traffic congestion, reduce travel time and improve safety for motorists travelling between Nairobi and western Kenya.
Gachagua claimed the project’s cancellation exposed Kenyans to huge financial losses, accusing the government of failing to fully explain the circumstances surrounding the alleged payout.
According to the former deputy president, President Macron’s visit to Kenya for the Africa Forward Summit had reignited public concerns over the controversial road deal and foreign-funded infrastructure projects.
“Kenyans deserve transparency on how billions of shillings were lost after the cancellation of the Rironi-Mau Summit Road contract,” Gachagua said.
He further alleged that frustration among Kenyans over the matter contributed to the tension witnessed during President Macron’s address at the University of Nairobi’s Taifa Hall during the summit.
Gachagua claimed sections of Kenyans felt burdened by rising economic hardships while billions were allegedly being lost through stalled or cancelled projects.
The Rironi-Mau Summit Road project was announced in 2020 under a public-private partnership arrangement involving French firms. At the time, the highway upgrade was valued at about Ksh159 billion and was considered one of the country’s biggest planned road projects.
However, the agreement later ran into challenges, with the government citing financing concerns, restructuring of infrastructure priorities and disagreements over the project model. The deal was eventually shelved before implementation could begin fully.
Following the cancellation, the government shifted focus to alternative road financing plans, including discussions involving other international contractors for parts of the wider Nairobi-Nakuru transport corridor.
Gachagua also used the briefing to criticize the government over what he termed poor management of public resources and growing concerns surrounding accountability in major infrastructure projects.
The remarks come at a time when political temperatures continue to rise ahead of the 2027 General Election, with opposition leaders increasingly questioning government spending and foreign-backed development agreements.
Despite the claims, the government has not publicly responded to Gachagua’s allegations regarding the alleged Ksh7 billion payout linked to the cancelled project.
