President William Ruto’s administration has moved to centralize control over rural road development by taking over projects previously managed by county governments. The 2025/26 budget introduces a Sh11.47 billion allocation under the State Department for Roads, redirecting a substantial portion of the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF) to the national government. The decision has reignited tensions between national and county governments over infrastructure control.
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The funds will be used for the construction and upgrading of feeder and rural access roads, with several constituencies already earmarked for investment. In Migori County, the government has allocated Sh100 million to the Tella-Gogo road and Sh300 million for the Kanyawanga-Dede-Rapogi road, both previously managed by the county. In Siaya County, Sh100 million has been set aside for the Wangarot-Kalendiu Road and Sh200 million for the Sidindi-Sigomere-Masiro road. Additional allocations of Sh100 million each have been made to Suba South, Nyatike, and Ndhiwa constituencies in Nyanza, as well as to Kieni in Nyeri and Mandera County.
Observers see this move as a strategic political maneuver, extending Ruto’s influence into opposition strongholds ahead of the 2027 elections. Speaking in Narok, President Ruto defended the centralization, arguing that the national government is better positioned to deliver durable infrastructure compared to counties, which he claimed often produce substandard roads prone to damage from heavy rains.
The shift has sparked criticism from opposition leaders, including Raila Odinga, who argues that road projects should remain under county control. Odinga has called for the abolition of agencies such as the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KERRA) and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), insisting that counties are better suited to manage local infrastructure.
This takeover underscores the broader political and governance struggles in Kenya, where infrastructure development is a key tool for leaders to demonstrate progress and gain public support. While fiscal constraints due to growing national debt remain a concern, the Ruto administration is emphasizing smaller, strategic road projects to improve rural connectivity, signaling a shift from large-scale national highway programs.
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