In its five-year strategic plan, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) revealed that a significant portion of this funding, amounting to KES 192.5 billion, will be allocated to the improvement of key roadways, including the dualization of the Rironi-Nakuru-Mau Summit route.
The government intends to allocate KES 394 billion over the next five years for the construction, maintenance, and improvement of major highways, despite facing budget constraints that have led to reductions in the overall road budget in recent allocations by the Treasury.
The construction of new roads, including those already started, will cost KES 117 billion. The State agency will use KES 84.5 billion to rehabilitate roads in bad conditions, bringing the total spend on road projects to KES 394 billion.
During the review period spanning from 2023 to 2027, KeNHA aims to secure funds for the development of three toll roads, including the dualling of the Rironi-Nakuru-Mau Summit, with KeNHA contributing KES 35 billion to this project.
For the Mau Summit-Malaba section, the road construction agency plans to mobilise KES 12.5 billion even as the government remains tight-lipped about the new contractor for the construction of the dual carriageway that is supposed to open up the Northern Corridor.
The 473-kilometre Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway, which the National Treasury announced has received first-stage approval for construction, has a budget of KES 25 billion. The toll road will also be built through a public-private partnership model.
On road construction, the Kula-Mawe-Modogashe road will gobble up kES 11.6 billion and Isiolo-Kula-Mawe another KES 9.98 billion as the government moves to complete projects started by the previous administration.
KeNHA will construct Isiolo-Mandera, Barpello-Marichpass, and Marsabit-Segel-Maikona roads, which will provide access and link the arid and semi-arid regions, which are livestock production areas to critical markets. The agency will spend around KES 6 billion on this road.
The state agency estimates a requirement of KES 653 billion for the optimal development of the national trunk road, while the allocated resources for road construction, rehabilitation, and capacity enhancement amount to KES 395 billion.
Additionally, the maintenance backlog is estimated at KES120 billion against a five-year allocation of KES107 billion.
“To effectively finance the implementation of this Strategic Plan, the Authority will lobby the exchequer for adequate funding; Ring Fencing Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF) for road maintenance; engage development partners for the financing of major projects; enhance its internal revenue generation capacity, embrace PPPs and tolling of key roads,” the agency stated.
