Treasury boosts road funding by Sh26.3bn after complaints over poor infrastructure
The government has tripled funding for road and bridge construction, allocating Sh26.37 billion over the past six months, a 239.32 per cent increase from the Sh7.77 billion given during the same period in 2023.
For many Kenyans, dilapidated roads and missing bridges are a daily struggle, with potholes and impassable routes causing frustration.
In response, the government has tripled funding for road and bridge construction, allocating Sh26.37 billion over the past six months, a 239.32 per cent increase from the Sh7.77 billion given during the same period in 2023.
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The move comes after growing frustration from principals and local leaders who have been vocal about the poor condition of roads and the impact on daily life, particularly for motorists.
These complaints have led to public outcry, as the roads sub-sector had long been hit by budget cuts under President William Ruto's administration.
"Slowed progress on contracted works," was blamed by the State Department for Roads, with officials pointing out that insufficient funding had hindered their ability to meet set targets.
In the wake of these concerns, the Treasury's decision to raise funding for road projects is seen as a response to the mounting pressures.
The increased funding is a notable departure from the previous trend of deep cuts to the roads budget, which had received the largest share of development funds only once in the past six years.
In contrast, sectors such as Crop Development and Basic Education were allocated larger portions of the budget for the period ending December 2023, focusing on subsidizing farm inputs and expanding education infrastructure.
Road development had been a soft target for cuts during the Ruto administration, with the government claiming limited room for reductions in recurring expenses.
When President Ruto assumed office, he expressed shock at the previous administration's commitments, which totalled Sh900 billion in the roads sector.
This, he said, posed a significant challenge for his government.
"We have tried to cut it down; we have tried to cut some of the roads that have not started. But we remain with about Sh680 billion that we have to manage," President Ruto said in May 2023.
These cuts led to delays and dissatisfaction, with many Kenyans complaining about worsening road conditions.
Despite these challenges, the recent increase in funding is seen as an important step toward addressing the concerns raised by local communities and ensuring the completion of crucial infrastructure projects.
According to Treasury data, the amount of money allocated to road agencies such as the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), and Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) is the highest since December 2021, although it still fell short of the annual target by over Sh6 billion.
Overall, the jump in funding helped increase total expenditure on development projects by 84.39 per cent, reaching Sh129.82 billion during the period, the highest since December 2021.
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