The Kenyan government has awarded Sh15.54 billion in contracts to upgrade 95 rural roads since the start of the 2026/27 financial year. This move is part of President William Ruto's administration efforts to step up infrastructure spending ahead of the 2027 General Election. The contracts, awarded by the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), are valued more than twice the Sh6.09 billion recorded for 967 contracts in the 12 months to June.
Most of the roads, largely rural access routes being upgraded to bitumen standards, are spread across counties in the Coast, Rift Valley, North Eastern, Central, and Nyanza regions. The projects aim to improve access to markets, schools, health facilities, and other economic centers. The largest contract is the Sh3.75 billion upgrade of Korisa–Gamba Road in Garissa County, awarded to Xtreme Engineering Limited. The project was initially advertised as a gravelling contract before KeRRA revised the scope to upgrading the road to bitumen standards.
Other major projects include the Sh1.98 billion upgrade of roads linking Ibacho, Kiamokama, Riana Shopping Centre, Kenyoro SDA, Mwata, Nyasagati, and Kerina in Kisii County. The contract was signed on August 25, 2026, with completion scheduled for August 2028. Additionally, the Sh1.80 billion upgrade of Junction C67 (Kirwara)–Kigio–Junction C67 (Blue Post) Road in Murang’a County and the Sh1.78 billion Mwaita–Bwage–Makutano–Kapsara–Minex–Arba–Kesegon Road project in Trans Nzoia County are underway.
KeRRA also awarded several other significant contracts, including the Sh1.12 billion contract for the Kipsongo–Kisawai Road in Trans Nzoia, Sh749 million for the Picnic–Olerai–Olchoronyore Secondary School Road in Kajiado, and Sh723 million for the Ngeria Primary–Moi University–Kapkoi Road in Uasin Gishu. These projects are part of the government's efforts to improve rural connectivity and access to essential services.
The latest awards come after a period of scaled-back public investment in roads as the government sought to contain the budget deficit and reduce reliance on borrowing. In the first half of the financial year ending June 2024, development spending by the Roads department fell to Sh7.77 billion, down 57.7 percent from Sh18.35 billion in the corresponding period a year earlier.
The government has since recovered, with budget allocations for road construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance increasing. Data published by the National Treasury puts the State Department for Roads' total allocation at about Sh184.5 billion in 2024, Sh195 billion in 2025, and Sh234.7 billion in 2026. The renewed spending also comes amid a dispute over who should control money for road maintenance, with President Ruto arguing for centralized management to ensure effective use of funds.
The road construction projects are crucial for rural communities, as they lower the cost of moving farm produce, improve access to schools and hospitals, and connect trading centers to larger markets. For politicians, these projects serve as visible records of public investment, easily identifiable with a particular administration or elected leader. KeRRA's awards sit alongside larger projects contracted before July 2026, including the Sh1.43 billion Kongoni–Maella Road and the Sh1.22 billion Kivandini–Miseleni Road.
Key points
- The Kenyan government awards Sh15.54 billion contracts to upgrade 95 rural roads ahead of the 2027 General Election.
- The projects aim to improve access to markets, schools, health facilities, and other economic centers in rural areas.
- The government's renewed spending on road construction comes amid a dispute over who should control money for road maintenance.
