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The State has terminated the Annuity Road Construction programme, terming it expensive to taxpayers.

This move marks the end of billions of shillings invested in various unsuccessful attempts under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative.

Kipchumba Murkomen, Roads Cabinet Secretary cited the impracticality of annuity, terming it a costly method for road delivery.

“When I assumed office, I pledged to rescue the people of Kenya from the pitfalls of annuity roads, which are nothing short of a rip-off,” he asserted. Murkomen made the remarks during the unveiling of Kenya National Highways Authority’s strategic plan 2023-2027.

The CS expressed confidence that the new plan would inject renewed vigour into the construction of an estimated 2,349 kilometres of roads over the next five years.

This ambitious undertaking encompasses the construction of 1,183 kilometres of new roads, capacity enhancement for 674 kilometres, and the rehabilitation of 492 kilometres.

Trunk road network

According to the Strategic Plan, this approach aims to increase the percentage of the paved national trunk road network to 63 per cent, signalling a leap in infrastructure development. Murkomen observed that to deliver a 45km road under an annuity, for instance, will cost Sh15 billion.

“But to do the same length and standard of road under the normal contracting, will cost Sh3 billion including maintenance,” he said.

The cancellation makes it the second road project being abolished, that the current president and his predecessor crafted when they came to power in 2014.

The CS said the Ilasit-Njukini road, which connects Kajiado and Taita Taveta counties, and which should have been done under the annuity programme will now be delivered under normal contracting, adding that construction will commence in March.

About two weeks ago, President William Ruto dropped the Low Volume Seal road construction technology, which uses bitumen-based seals to inexpensively pave road with low vehicular traffic volumes.

Three years ago, the technology according to the Economic Survey 2021, Kenya had built 4, 400 Kilometres at a cost of Sh316 billion. The survey shows, the government had earmarked this type of road network to hit 7000 KMs by 2022.