Roads and Transport Principal Secretary Joseph Mbugua speaking during the opening of ARMFA Executive Committee meeting in Nairobi/MOSES MWANGIKenya has reaffirmed its commitment to spearheading the development of an interconnected African road network, with a vision of boosting trade, regional integration, and sustainable development across the continent.
Speaking during the opening of the African Road Maintenance Funds Association (ARMFA) Executive Committee meeting in Nairobi, Roads and Transport Principal Secretary Joseph Mbugua emphasised Kenya’s strategic role as a logistics hub and transit platform for the sub-region.
“We are resolutely focused to the future. Together, we can build an African road network that connects our peoples, stimulates our economies, and strengthens our collective sovereignty,” said Mbugua.
The high-level ARMFA meeting brought together senior representatives from 35 member countries, representing national road maintenance funds across Africa.
ARMFA serves as a continental platform for exchanging experiences and best practices in road maintenance and sustainable infrastructure management.
Mbugua underscored the critical role of road networks beyond their physical presence, describing them as “the living arteries of trade, dialogue between people, and cooperation among our states.”
He reiterated Kenya’s understanding that the quality and
sustainability of its roads directly impacts the development trajectory of its
neighbours.
“It is in this spirit that we welcome and enthusiastically encourage the establishment of the ARMFA Executive Secretariat here in Kenya,” he said, marking a major endorsement of the country’s leadership role in the sector.
ARMFA President Essaïe Moussa Aubin hailed the decision as a historic step, noting that the secretariat’s presence in Kenya would foster closer collaboration with the Kenya Roads Board and other national institutions.
“This proximity to the Kenya Roads Board and national institutions enables fruitful collaboration, continuous exchange of best practices, and effective implementation of our action programmes,” said Aubin.
He added that it was time to mobilise and intensify efforts to build a connected Africa through safe, modern, and resilient road systems.
Kenya Roads Board Director-General Rashid Mohammed echoed
the call for unity and collaboration, urging member states to make road
maintenance a central pillar of Africa’s sustainable development agenda.
ARMFA, a non-political and non-profit body founded in Libreville, Gabon in 2003, aims to promote efficient and sustainable road maintenance financing by strengthening cooperation among African road funds and championing sound financial management.
The Nairobi meeting comes at a time when African nations are increasingly recognising infrastructure as a driver of regional integration, with roads playing a vital role in facilitating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and other shared development goals.
