The government has awarded Sh15.54 billion in contracts to upgrade 95 rural roads since the start of the 2026/27 financial year, as President William Ruto’s administration steps 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, underlining the aggressive upgrade in the months to the poll.
Most of the roads, which are 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 are intended to improve access to markets, schools, health facilities and other economic centres.
The largest of the latest contracts 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.
Another major project is 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.
Other large contracts include 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.
KeRRA also awarded a 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.
The Wote–Kako–Ngoluni Road in Makueni County was awarded a Sh595 million contract, while the Kibaoni–Cha Fundishe–Adu Kamale Road in Kilifi County will cost Sh553 million.
Two other sizeable projects are the Sh510 million Junction Talai–Plateau–Africa Economic Zone section in Uasin Gishu and the Sh359 million Machinery–Kyumani–Kyanginywa–Kalandini Road in Makueni.
The latest awards come after a period in which the Ruto administration scaled back public investment in roads as it 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 decline reflected a policy shift from the heavy infrastructure spending of the previous administration amid rising debt-servicing costs.
The government subsequently cut its allocation for road construction, rehabilitation and maintenance from about Sh244.9 billion in 2023/24 to Sh193.2 billion in the 2024/25 budget. The cuts were part of a wider spending-rationalisation programme aimed at reducing the fiscal deficit and slowing the pace of new projects.
Budget allocations have since recovered. 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. Its development allocation rose to Sh176.9 billion in the 2026 budget, from Sh123.5 billion in 2025
The renewed spending also comes amid a dispute over who should control money for road maintenance. The Road Maintenance Levy Fund, which supports maintenance of the road network, has long been a point of contention among the national government, MPs and county governors over how resources should be allocated and managed.
In defending a greater role for the national government in planning road expenditure, Ruto argued that centralised management could allow the money to be used more effectively.
“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,” he said, urging lawmakers to allow him to plan the funds in a way that would benefit Kenyans more.
Roads have long been among the most visible government projects, offering tangible evidence of development through improved access and reduced travel times.
This has made road construction an attractive political undertaking for leaders seeking office, from Members of County Assemblies and MPs to governors and the presidency.
For rural communities, a paved road can lower the cost of moving farm produce, improve access to schools and hospitals and connect trading centres to larger markets.
For politicians, the same road can become a visible record of public investment that is easily identified with a particular administration or elected leader.
KeRRA’s awards also sit alongside larger projects contracted before July 2026. These include the Sh1.43 billion Kongoni–Maella Road, the Sh1.22 billion Kivandini–Miseleni Road and the Sh1.17 billion Matumbei–Salama–Kimoson–Posta Road.
The Kinamba–Mengit–Chepkinoiyo–Murinduku Road, whose contract was valued at about Sh696 million, is another example of the administration’s rural connectivity programme.
The 12-kilometre road in Nakuru County is intended to improve the movement of agricultural produce from farming areas to markets.
