Roads take lead again as state boosts budget to Sh171.9 billion in infrastructure push
The survey reveals that most of the funds have been channelled toward improving trunk and primary roads, upgrading secondary and minor roads, and maintaining existing ones across the country.
The road sector has once again emerged as the top priority in government spending, with the Economic Survey 2025 showing a sharp increase in budget allocation for construction, upgrading and maintenance works.
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics report, released on Tuesday, highlights a 29.1 per cent increase in the total road budget, from Sh133.2 billion in the previous year to Sh171.9 billion in the 2024/25 financial year.
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The survey reveals that most of the funds have been channelled toward improving trunk and primary roads, upgrading secondary and minor roads, and maintaining existing ones across the country.
According to the report, development expenditure for roads is projected to grow from Sh66.7 billion in 2023/24 to Sh102.4 billion in the upcoming financial year.
At the same time, the budget for repairs and maintenance has gone up by 4.5 per cent, reaching Sh69.5 billion from Sh66.5 billion.
Boost trade
The continued focus on roads, the survey notes, is part of the government's wider goal to boost trade, improve transport networks and support economic activities.
“Road development plays a crucial role in enhancing connectivity, promoting economic growth and facilitating trade and mobility,” the survey states.
A major component of the infrastructure strategy includes the upgrading of low-volume sealed roads (LVSR) to bitumen standards. This is intended to connect rural and urban areas more efficiently and support economic transformation by turning earth and gravel roads into bitumen surfaces.
As part of this national effort, roads were under construction or maintenance in nearly all counties during the year under review, with Lamu being the only exception.
“A total of 2,456.7 kilometres were maintained or graded at an estimated cost of Sh255.2 billion,” the survey states.
Data from the road inventory and condition assessment shows that Kenya had 239,000 kilometres of roads by June last year. This total includes 165,000 kilometres of classified roads and 74,000 kilometres that remain unclassified.
A notable development in 2024 was the doubling of the country’s superhighway length to 365 kilometres. This jump was largely due to the reclassification of major projects like the Dongo Kundu bypass, Kipevu Link Road and the Nairobi Southern Bypass, which are now categorised as Class S roads.
Roads surfaced with bitumen
There was also growth in the number of roads surfaced with bitumen. These increased by 1,000 kilometres, bringing the total from 23,000 in 2023 to 24,000 in the period reviewed.
National trunk and primary roads under bitumen also grew by 9.1 per cent, reaching 21,000 kilometres by the end of the review period.
Several major road construction projects were underway or nearing completion. Among them was the 453-kilometre Lamu-Ijara-Garissa Road, estimated at Sh18 billion, which was 52 per cent complete.
The Mombasa Port Area Development Project (MPARD) Phase 2 road, which covers the Mwache-Mteza section over 8.96 kilometres, had reached 93.1 per cent completion by the end of 2024. The project is expected to cost Sh24.3 billion.
In western Kenya, the Isebania–Kisii road was almost finished at 98.1 per cent, while in the northern part of the country, the Kulamawe-Modogashe road had reached 24.7 per cent completion.
Apart from roads, the survey also sheds light on key railway and causeway construction.
The 2.8-kilometre Miritini Meter Gauge Railway-Mombasa Terminus and Makupa Causeway project had achieved 98 per cent completion, at an estimated cost of Sh4.8 billion.
Meanwhile, progress on the Riruta/Lenana-Ngong railway line, which stretches 12.5 kilometres and is expected to cost Sh1.23 billion, stood at 12 per cent.
These developments show the government’s continued push to improve infrastructure, with roads leading the way in terms of funding and project scale.
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