Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi has questioned the speed at which Parliament approved the National Infrastructure Fund Bill, 2026, while key proposals in the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report remain unimplemented.

Speaking in an interview on March 12, 2026, Mwangangi said the government appeared to prioritise the infrastructure fund over reforms that emerged from the 2023 national dialogue process between the government and the opposition.

The National Infrastructure Fund Bill was published in January 2026, passed its second reading in early March and was approved by the National Assembly on March 5 before being assented to by President William Ruto on March 9.

Legislative urgency

Mwangangi said the speed with which the bill was processed raised questions, particularly when compared with the delay in implementing the NADCO report recommendations.

“Are we saying that the report is not so important, but the national infrastructure fund, which came the other day, is so important? And we saw how it was rushed,” he stated.

The National Infrastructure Fund is designed to mobilise up to Ksh5 trillion over ten years from pension funds, private investors and other financing sources.

The funds are intended to support major infrastructure projects including highways, railways, ports and the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway.

Mwangangi argued that similar urgency should have been applied to reforms proposed in the NADCO report, especially those touching on devolution and resource allocation.

Stronger devolution

The deputy governor said devolution should involve more equitable distribution of national resources to lower levels of government.

He proposed that part of the resources retained at the national level be allocated directly to constituencies to enhance development at the grassroots.

Mwangangi also raised concerns about what he described as limited allocations to county governments, saying the share of resources transferred to counties remains below 10 per cent of the national budget.

Duplication of projects

He further pointed to instances where national and county governments implement similar development projects in close proximity, citing examples such as boreholes or dams built a few kilometres apart.

“Why all this wastage? Why all this competition?” Mwangangi asked.

The deputy governor called for clearer division of functions and resources between the national and county governments to avoid duplication.

“If I’m here making noise, and on the other side I’m a thief, I belong in a commit, not that public office,” he said.

Mwangangi also reiterated calls for the transfer of functions and resources to counties, saying commitments made after the 2022 elections to complete the process within months have yet to be realised.