Ruto: We Will Dual 21 Major Roads, Extend SGR to Malaba and Upgrade JKIA

President William Ruto has announced an extensive infrastructure programme featuring major road upgrades and the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway, despite ongoing fiscal pressures.

In his third State of the Nation address, the President outlined plans to dual 21 key roads, build 28,000 kilometres of new tarmacked routes, and extend the railway from Naivasha to Kisumu and onwards to Malaba beginning in January 2026. He confirmed that construction will start immediately on the 170-kilometre Rironi–Naivasha–Nakuru–Mau Summit road and the 58-kilometre Rironi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha road, both of which are known for severe congestion. 

The upgrades are expected to improve travel between Nairobi and western Kenya.

Ruto said the programme will be supported by a new financing model aimed at reducing dependence on external borrowing. The government will establish a National Infrastructure Fund and a Sovereign Wealth Fund to channel resources into long-term projects. 

He argued that essential investments cannot rely on continued debt or higher taxes, but also cannot be postponed without affecting future growth. The Infrastructure Fund will be linked to reforms proposed in the forthcoming Government-Owned Enterprises Bill, 2025. The bill will repeal 14 laws that created various state corporations, many of which are loss-making, and convert them into commercially viable entities. 

Proceeds from privatisation will be ring-fenced for infrastructure and investment rather than used for recurrent spending. Ruto cited international examples, including Australia’s Future Fund, Singapore’s Temasek, and the UAE’s Mubadala, as models for managing sovereign investments.

The government expects each shilling raised through privatisation to attract ten shillings in additional investment from pension funds, sovereign partners, private equity, and development finance institutions. This, it says, could provide the capital required to deliver the planned road and rail projects.

Ruto also confirmed that public–private partnerships will be used to modernise Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the ports of Mombasa and Lamu. The move is intended to upgrade critical infrastructure and support Kenya Airways, which continues to face financial difficulties. 

It follows the withdrawal of a proposal to involve India’s Adani Group in airport modernisation after public opposition. The President highlighted recent progress in road construction, noting that his administration completed 555 kilometres more than planned in the year to June after settling outstanding contractor payments. 

Data from the State Department for Roads shows that KeNHA, Kura, and KeRRA jointly delivered 761.25 kilometres against a target of 206.35 kilometres. He said this demonstrates the government’s ability to meet ambitious targets when financing and governance are aligned.