Oburu lauds Ruto over National Infrastructure Fund
By Faith Lagat, March 20, 2026Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga has praised President William Ruto for establishing the National Infrastructure Fund (NIF), describing it as a major step in Kenya’s development agenda.
Speaking during the Idd-ul-Fitr Luncheon at Kisumu State Lodge, which the president graced on March 20, 2026, Oburu said the fund offered a practical path for financing infrastructure and pointed to examples from other countries where similar models had worked.
“I’m so happy you have taken up this infrastructure fund, which is a very great idea and the fact you are not experimenting, as it is something that has been practised elsewhere and it became a success,” Oburu said.
He added: “I am sure that with the plan we are going to reach Singapore in the coming years.”
Cross-party backing
Oburu’s remarks stood out because they came from a senior ODM figure at a time when major government programmes often draw political criticism from across the divide.
His comments signalled cross-party backing for a fund that the government says will reduce reliance on borrowing and create a new way of financing key national projects.
The National Infrastructure Fund was recently operationalised after President Ruto assented to the National Infrastructure Fund Bill earlier in March 2026. The government has said the fund will help finance major projects through investment-backed models instead of depending mainly on public debt.
In a message shared after the event, Oburu said it was a privilege to join President William Ruto and the Muslim community in Kisumu for the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations, adding that Kenya’s strength lies in its diversity and shared commitment to peace, while urging citizens to use the occasion to uplift one another and build a country where every Kenyan has a stake in collective prosperity.
Infrastructure targets
The fund is expected to mobilise nearly Ksh5 trillion over the next decade for infrastructure projects aligned with Vision 2030 and Medium Term Plan IV.
Among the projects lined up are the construction of 2,500 kilometres of dual carriageways, the tarmacking of 28,000 kilometres of roads, the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway from Naivasha to Malaba and Kisumu, and the generation of 10,000 megawatts of clean energy.
Plans under the fund also include the construction of 50 mega dams and more than 1,200 smaller dams for irrigation, as well as the modernisation of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Oversight and accountability
President Ruto has said the fund will operate under accountability measures that include parliamentary oversight, audits by the Auditor-General and Cabinet supervision.
During an ODM-UDA joint parliamentary meeting at KICC on March 10, 2026, Ruto said the government would put in place structures to oversee the fund, including a governing council and an independent board recruited competitively.
The remarks by Oburu came as Kenya marked Eid al-Fitr, with leaders using the occasion to call for unity, faith and support for vulnerable members of society.