Why Infrastructure Change Fails: The Hidden Crisis
Building and maintaining roads is not only about laying asphalt and erecting bridges. It is about planning for what comes next in terms of reliable use, maintenance, community integration, and long‑term sustainability. Even when policies are well articulated and agencies are committed, many change initiatives encounter what experts call the hidden crisis. This refers to the the gap between planning and sustained delivery.
Reliable Financing Is a Cornerstone of Infrastructure Success
Reliable funding is a foundation for any infrastructure programme. In Kenya, the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF), managed by the Kenya Roads Board (KRB), is a major financing mechanism for road maintenance and rehabilitation across the country. This fund is sourced from a fuel levy and shared among KeNHA, KeRRA, and Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA). On February 2nd 2026, the Star Newspaper reported that under the law, 40% goes to national highways (KeNHA), 32% to rural roads (KeRRA), 15% to urban roads (KURA), and 1% to national parks. The remaining funds are used for emergency maintenance and administration.
As reported by the Star, collection from the RMLF has not kept pace with the growing maintenance requirement in the recent years. For instance, the annual national requirement is estimated at about Sh180 billion to Sh200 billion, while actual collections have averaged around Sh115 billion. This funding mismatch affects the tempo of works and can influence prioritisation decisions across agencies.
In response, KRB pioneered securitisation of the RMLF, unlocking funds from future levy collections for immediate use. By January 2026, the board had disbursed Sh132.2 billion to road agencies, with KeRRA receiving Sh67.2 billion, KeNHA Sh52 billion, and KURA Sh12.9 billion, contributing to the restart of over 580 road projects that had slowed. At a practical level, this meant heavy machinery returned to sites such as the Nyeri‑Othaya‑Kangema corridor, reconnecting rural markets and improving access for farmers and traders.
These figures underscore how innovative financing not only bridges immediate gaps but also sustains momentum in ongoing infrastructure programmes.
Strategic Prioritisation Across Agencies
Organisations such as KeNHA and KeRRA operate within broader national infrastructure strategies that define their goals and success measures. For instance, KeNHA’s Strategic Plan 2023–2027 lays out ambitious targets to work on over 2,300 km of highways. This includes new construction, capacity upgrading, and rehabilitation, with an estimated overall investment need of Sh653 billion over the plan period.
Similarly, KeRRA’s Annual Report for FY 2024–2025 acknowledges financial constraints in the past period. Additionally, the report highlights the role of RMLF securitisation in enabling resumed works on key rural roads that directly impact community connectivity. More so, the Board of Directors, led by Mr. Anthony Ngángá Mwaura, CBS, expressed appreciation to stakeholders and partners for enabling the authority to continue service delivery across rural constituencies.
What these strategic frameworks and reports reveal is that agencies are not operating in isolation. Instead, they are crafting medium‑to‑long‑term plans anchored in national transport goals and aligned to the mandates assigned by the Kenya Roads Act.
Institutional Coordination and Policy Evolution
Cooperation across levels of government and within agencies improves infrastructure delivery. For example, discussions at national public consultation forums have included Eng. Mike Gumbi, speaking on behalf of KeRRA. He emphasized the need to explore tolling and public‑private partnerships (PPPs) as additional sustainable funding streams beyond traditional levy collections and lending. He referenced the Nairobi Expressway, constructed via a PPP as a success model for combining resources with private sector efficiencies.
Meanwhile, debates continue among national, county, and legislative stakeholders about how road funds are allocated, reflecting the evolving nature of infrastructure governance in Kenya. This ongoing policy engagement, including calls from county leaders for revised share formulas, highlights a commitment to equitably sustaining the infrastructure ecosystem.
Gambia’s Road Development Focus: Connected Communities
Across the continent, the National Roads Authority (NRA) of The Gambia illustrates the importance of performance monitoring and public accountability in road programmes. In January 2026, Hon. Ebrima Sillah, Gambia’s Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure, and the NRA Managing Director expressed confidence in progress on the Lot 3 Kiang Kabada Road Project in the Lower River Region, noting work was progressing steadily with sections completed ahead of schedule, and overall effort at about 63.4 % completion.
The government’s broader focus on connectivity, emphasised by Minister Sillah, describes road infrastructure as fundamental to connecting people with economic opportunities, essential services, and national markets, a viewpoint that resonates with transport planners globally.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why do road maintenance funds sometimes fail to cover requirements?
Annual road maintenance needs often exceed collected revenues from levies due to inflation, expanded networks, and rising construction costs, creating gaps that require strategic financing mechanisms.
2. How do securitisation and alternative financing help infrastructure delivery?
Securitisation unlocks future fund flows for immediate use, enabling agencies to pay contractors and resume stalled projects without waiting for annual budget cycles.
3. What role do strategic plans play in infrastructure programmes?
Agency strategic plans, such as those from KeNHA and KeRRA, provide multi‑year roadmaps that align resources, define targets, and guide investment decisions over time.
