Kenya, May 11 -- President William Ruto has decided to personally manage the money for road repairs in Kenya, putting Sh11.5 billion into the budget for "road works" without involving the county governments.
This announcement came after the Treasury revealed its budget, adding to the ongoing disagreement between the national government and county governments about who should control road funds.
The Sh11.5 billion will be used for building and fixing roads across the country.
The national government will handle this money through the Kenya Roads Board (KRB) and other government agencies.
County leaders feel left out because they believe they should have control over road funds to better meet local needs.
They have criticized the national government for taking away their power, saying it hurts development at the county level.
While speaking to the public in Kiambu County, President Ruto explained that the funds would help create better roads for everyone.
He stated, "We want to improve Kenya's roads. This money will be used wisely to build quality roads that connect our communities and help the economy grow."
However, governors, led by the Council of Governors (CoG), say they will challenge this decision because they believe it goes against the idea of devolution, which is meant to give power to local governments.
The CoG Chairperson stated, "Roads, especially smaller roads, are something counties should manage. Taking away this money is an attempt to weaken our counties."
This allocation of Sh11.5 billion is part of the 2025/2026 budget, which some say was rushed to respond to public complaints about poor road conditions.
The disagreement between the national and county governments is likely to get worse as county leaders plan to take action through legal and political means.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.