President William Ruto has turned to Parliament to consider expediting the
Sh1.5 trillion National Infrastructure Fund, saying it remains the only
realistic path to restoring and expanding the country’s road network.
Speaking during celebrations at AIC Loglogo in Marsabit county, Ruto said
the current budgetary model can no longer sustain Kenya’s infrastructure
demands.
He said the absence of the fund is stalling key highways, rural access roads
and flagship economic corridors.
“That is why I am telling our MPs to ensure we have the National
Infrastructure Fund so as to make 20km of our roads,” Ruto said.
“How to raise the Sh1.5 trillion, leave to me. I know where we will get the money.”
He challenged MPs to expedite the legislative framework establishing the fund, arguing that predictable financing will cut construction delays, control
project costs and support economic growth.
The fund will mobilise resources through multiple sources,
including the national budget, privatisation, the capital markets, and public–private
partnerships (PPPs).
Ruto emphasised that expanding Kenya’s road network is vital
to linking producers to markets and unlocking the economic potential of rural
areas.
“There is no way we can develop as a country when there is
no mobility,” he said.
The head of state said he will vouch for the fund on
Thursday when he will deliver the State of the Nation Address before the joint sitting
of the bicameral Parliament.
The announcement comes as the government faces growing demands for better
infrastructure to support agriculture, trade, and industrialisation.
Many regions, particularly in rural Kenya, continue to struggle with poor
road networks that make it difficult for farmers to transport produce and for
businesses to reach markets.
The proposed fund is expected to complement ongoing national projects under
the Kenya National Highways Authority, the Kenya Rural Roads Authority, and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority.
The President also reaffirmed his commitment to ending the culture of
fundraising to settle hospital bills, saying the Social Health Authority guarantees
every Kenyan access to quality healthcare without financial distress.
Ruto said no family should be pushed into harambees, WhatsApp appeals or
loan traps to clear medical costs, insisting that the SHA reform has introduced
a fair, predictable and sustainable health financing system.
“We don’t want our people to fund raise again to pay hospital bills as it
used to be. Everyone should just register and it will be paid for by the
government,” Ruto stated.
At the same time, the President reiterated his pledge to ensure every child, regardless of
background, gets an education, saying the government will continue expanding funding for basic,
TVET and university education.
“No child should stay home because of school fees. That is the Kenya we are
building,” Ruto said.
So far, he noted, his administration has built over 23,000 new classrooms to
aid learning, hired more teachers and ensured there is enough bursaries to keep
the children in schools.
Ruto was accompanied by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and a
host of regional elected leaders.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The fund will be financed through a combination of national
budget allocations, privatization proceeds from state-owned enterprises, and
private sector investment via Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). The fund is
intended to finance projects such as roads, dams, and energy generation to
boost economic growth and development
