Kenya Roads Board (KRB) will disburse Sh55 billion towards maintenance of roads in the country for the Financial Year 2021/2022.

The fund will be distributed to the various road agencies including Kenya National Highway Authority (KENHA), Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura), Kenya Rural Roads Authority (Kerra) and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).

KRB was allocated a total of Sh69.1 billion based on estimates from the Annual Public Roads Programme (APRP) and Road Annuity Fund. The APRP outlines the planned road maintenance works that will be carried out by the road agencies during the FY 2021/2022.

Public roads

“This annual public roads programme for Financial Year 2021/2022 has been prepared in line with the Board’s vision of an efficient road network,” said Rashid Mohammed, the KRB Director General in a statement.

In the current budget estimates, KeNHA will receive Sh 26.6 billion, and KeRRA (Road Class C) Sh14, 6 billion. KURA (Urban Roads Classes UA, UB & UC) and KWS (Roads within National Parks and Game Reserves) has been allocated Sh6.7 billion and Sh651.3 million respectively. A further Sh6.5 billion has been set aside for Roads Sector Investment Programme Gaps.

The national road network to be covered in the APRP is 48,418km which is about 30 per cent of the entire road network in the country.

“The APRP has been prepared in close consultation with road agencies to ensure the government’s strategic objectives of attainment of the Big Four Agenda and realization of Vision 2030 are incorporated in the programme,” said Rashid.

Planned length of routine maintenance is 25,361 km, periodic maintenance on 916 km, performance-based maintenance contracts is 9,422 km, while spot improvement is on 7,695 km and upgrading on 24 km of roads across the country.

Additional cash

Additionally, approximately 5,000 km will have their intervention decided and planned for in the course of the financial year. Each agency got additional monies compared to the previous Financial Year 2020/2021, where KENHA was allocated Sh25 billion, KeRRA Sh13 billion, KURA Sh6.4 billion and KWS Sh631.3 million.

“To ensure that value for money is achieved, the Board will monitor the implementation of the APRP through Technical Compliance, Financial and Performance audits,” said Mohammed.