Kenya's highways authority and U.S. infrastructure investment firm Everstrong Capital have signed a $3.6 billion deal to construct a 440-kilometre highway connecting Nairobi to the port city of Mombasa. The project, funded by international investors, development agencies, pension funds, and Kenyan private investors, will feature the Usahihi expressway, a four to six-lane thoroughfare passing through a wildlife reserve. This expansion aims to alleviate congestion on the heavily trafficked route and is designed to be financially self-sustaining, independent of the Kenyan government's budget.
The new highway will complement the existing two-lane public road and railway, both financed by Chinese lenders. Everstrong Capital emphasized that the project poses no financial risks to the Kenyan government. The initiative is part of Kenya’s strategy to attract private investment, highlighted during a state visit by Kenya's president to Washington, aiming to strengthen ties with the U.S. amidst increasing influence from China and Russia in Africa.