Ngong Road flyover ends years of congestion

Like many residents of Dagoretti South, he had grown accustomed to long traffic jams, frequent accidents and years of waiting for major infrastructure projects. 

Today, however, standing beneath the newly commissioned flyover, he says the completed project has restored confidence that transformative public infrastructure can be delivered.

“This flyover has been constructed. And we are very happy. Because, I have lived here for a long time. I live here in Kanjo. We used to have a two-way traffic road. And we used to have a lot of traffic jams,” he said.

In addition, Soita notes that accidents were rampant; cars were crashing into each other before the construction the road.

President William Ruto commissioned the KSh3.8 billion Ngong Road-Naivasha Road (Junction Mall) Flyover as part of the Government's wider programme to modernise Nairobi's transport infrastructure and prepare the city to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). 

Speaking during the commissioning, the President said the project was designed to remove one of Nairobi's most persistent traffic bottlenecks, improve road safety and restore the efficient movement of people and goods.

"Congestion is not merely a transport challenge. It is an economic challenge," President Ruto said, noting that every hour lost in traffic translates into lost productivity, delayed income and missed opportunities. 

He described the flyover as "a strategic investment in the efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness of our capital city."

Wanyama says that the benefits go far beyond shorter travel times, he believes the project will improve the daily lives of residents while creating new economic opportunities.

"That is number one. Number two, I think if people pass by here, they will not be getting frustrated as before. You know where there are roads, job opportunities increase. So, businesses will improve for many people. I am very happy."

He also credits the steady progress of the project to visible oversight during construction.

"And it's not just me; many people are happy as well. The president sometimes passes here to go to other projects. And I know that by him passing by, it has helped. But if he had not been seen passing by little by little, this road would not have ended. I think this has made the contractor work effectively and efficiently."

President Ruto said the flyover is one of several ongoing investments intended to transform Nairobi into "a capital city that is efficient, connected, resilient and globally competitive."