This archive report was first published on 6 December 2019.
On December 6, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law the Kenya Roads Board (Amendment) Bill, 2019, marking a significant reform in the country's road infrastructure sector.
The new law restructures the mandate and operations of the Kenya Roads Board and other agencies in the sector, outlining how funds, including exchequer resources, will be used in the construction and maintenance of roads.
One of the key reforms in the new law is a limit on the amount of money allocated to rural roads, which is capped at 10 percent of funds appropriated by Parliament annually.
Additionally, the law caps administrative expenditure on rural roads at 18 percent of the total allocation, covering areas such as research, standardisation, capacity building, monitoring, and evaluation.
The Act also empowers the board to borrow and set aside funds for repayment of loans and other facilities taken for road maintenance, development, and rehabilitation.
Notably, the signing of the bill was attended by key government officials, including Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, Attorney-General Paul Kihara, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, and majority leader Aden Duale.
