•The rationale behind restructuring the board will also allow for proper adherence to road designs and manuals by contractors and road agencies.
•Good standards and adherence to the road manuals will ensure construction is done properly reducing the cost of maintenance works afterwards.
Image: Alice Waithera
The government is pushing for the restructuring of the Kenya Roads Board to make it the apex body charged with standards of how roads will be constructed.
Under the planned reforms, the board will also be charged with the responsibility of upholding standards at which roads are maintained, ensuring that construction works are done to the best-required levels.
According to the CS Kipchumba Murkomen-led Roads and Transport Ministry, the rationale behind restructuring the board will also allow for “proper adherence to road designs and manuals by contractors and road agencies.”
“Good standards and adherence to the road manuals will ensure construction is done properly reducing the cost of maintenance works afterwards,” a top ministry official told the Star, amid ongoing consultations on the move.
Restructuring means an expansion of KRB’s mandate.
The state corporation established under the Kenya Roads Board Act No. 7 of 1999 has been overseeing the road network in Kenya and coordinating maintenance, rehabilitation and development funded by the Kenya Roads Board Fund.
It also advises the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport on all matters related thereto.
According to CS Murkomen, the government expects Kenya Roads Board and the Road agencies to ensure not less than 220,000 kilometres of national trunk roads are maintained over the next five-years.
“This is to ease connectivity and boost economic development in line with the Bottom Up Economic Transformation agenda,” the CS said.
While the roads and transport ministry has been having one of the largest budgetary allocations, with heavy investments by the government, there have cases of poor delivery of road projects blamed on among others, under quotation by contractors during bidding processes, where engineers’ cost estimates are not factored during procurement and tender awarding.
Restructuring of the roads board is meant to give it more power to ensure all projects are audited and taxpayers get value for money.
The Kenya Roads Act 2007 establishes various institutions with specific roles in the development and management of the road network, namely the Kenya National Highway Authority (class A, B and C roads), Kenya Urban Roads Authority (roads in cities and municipalities), Kenya Rural Roads Authority (rural roads) and Kenya Wildlife Service (roads in national parks and game reserves).
The Kenya Roads Board manages the Kenya Roads Board Fund and oversees the evaluation of roadworks.
Under its Strategic Plan 2023-2027, the board targets deploy about Sh512 billion towards maintenance of roads in the country, representing an increase of 26 per cent compared to the last five years’ investment of Sh405 billion.
“The Board will ensure these funds are utilised in a prudent manner for optimal returns and for realisation of value for money,” Director General Rashid Mohamed notes in the board’s strategic plan.
The board has been monitoring and evaluating Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF) programmes semi-annually, to assure the public of optimal and efficient utilisation of every shilling invested in road maintenance.