Kenya Rural Roads Authority Awards KSh15.54 Billion in Contracts Ahead of 2027 Election

The Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) has granted contracts totalling KSh15.54 billion to improve 95 rural roads since the beginning of the 2026/27 financial year, as the administration of President William Ruto steps up infrastructure spending before the 2027 General Election.

This amount is more than double the KSh6.09 billion spent on 967 contracts in the twelve months to June, indicating a marked acceleration in road upgrades in the run-up to the poll.

The projects are spread across the Coast, Rift Valley, North Eastern, Central and Nyanza regions and are aimed at better linking markets, schools, health facilities and other economic hubs.

The biggest award is a KSh3.75 billion contract to upgrade the Korisa–Gamba Road in Garissa County, given to Xtreme Engineering Limited after KeRRA changed the scope from a simple gravelling job to a full bitumen standard.

Other significant contracts include a KSh1.98 billion upgrade of a network of roads in Kisii County linking Ibacho, Kiamokama, Riana Shopping Centre, Kenyoro SDA, Mwata, Nyasagati and Kerina, signed on August 25, 2026 with completion expected in August 2028, a KSh1.80 billion upgrade of the Junction C67 (Kirwara)–Kigio–Junction C67 (Blue Post) Road in Murang’a County, and a KSh1.78 billion project on the Mwaita–Bwage–Makutano–Kapsara–Minex–Arba–Kesegon Road in Trans Nzoia County.

Additional awards comprise a KSh1.12 billion contract for the Kipsongo–Kisawai Road in Trans Nzoia, KSh749 million for the Picnic–Olerai–Olchoronyore Secondary School Road in Kajiado, KSh723 million for the Ngeria Primary–Moi University–Kapkoi Road in Uasin Gishu, KSh595 million for the Wote–Kako–Ngoluni Road in Makueni, KSh553 million for the Kibaoni–Cha Fundishe–Adu Kamale Road in Kilifi, KSh510 million for the Junction Talai–Plateau–Africa Economic Zone section in Uasin Gishu and KSh359 million for the Machinery–Kyumani–Kyanginywa–Kalandini Road in Makueni.

The surge follows a period when the Ruto government reduced road spending to curb the fiscal deficit, with development outlays falling to KSh7.77 billion in the first half of the year ending June 2024 – a 57.7 per cent drop from KSh18.35 billion a year earlier – and the road budget being cut from roughly KSh244.9 billion in 2023/24 to KSh193.2 billion in the 2024/25 budget. Subsequent allocations have risen, with the State Department for Roads receiving about KSh184.5 billion in 2024, KSh195 billion in 2025 and KSh234.7 billion in 2026, while its development allocation grew to KSh176.9 billion in 2026 from KSh123.5 billion in 2025.

The increased spending occurs amid an ongoing dispute over the Road Maintenance Levy Fund, with President Ruto arguing that centralised control would enable more effective use of the money, stating: “If you leave it to me I can gather funds enough to build all roads because the money you distribute allows you to build only a small portion and then it is destroyed by rains.”

Rural road projects are highly visible government initiatives that can lower transport costs for farmers, improve access to education and health services and provide political leaders with tangible evidence of development.