Members of the National Assembly have approved the second reading of the Kenya Roads (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2025, moving the country closer to slashing the terms of directors-general of key road agencies from the current 10 years to a maximum of six.

The decision was made on Thursday, June 19, 2025, during a plenary session where lawmakers voted to pass the proposed legislation during its second reading.

The bill, sponsored by Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, is now headed to the Third Reading Stage, after which it will be sent to the president for assent.

Shorter terms proposed

The bill seeks to amend Section 13 of the Kenya Roads Act, Cap 408, to reduce the term of chief executive officers or their equivalents at state road agencies, including KeNHA, KURA, and KeRRA, from five years (renewable once) to three years (renewable once), in line with the Mwongozo Code of Governance for State Corporations.

“Section 13(3) of the Kenya Roads Act is amended by deleting the word ‘five’ and substituting it with the word ‘three’,” reads part of the amendment.

According to the bill, directors-general currently in office will serve the remainder of their existing terms and, if in their first term, may be eligible for one more three-year term.

Focus on accountability

Majority Leader Ichung’wah argued that the proposal is intended to improve accountability, institutional integrity, and performance in road agencies by aligning their governance structures with national standards.

“The current five-year term is inconsistent with established governance frameworks and undermines accountability,” Ichung’wah told the House earlier in the week.

If passed into law, the amendment will roll back provisions made during the 12th Parliament, which had extended the directors-general’s terms from three to five years, allowing them to serve for up to 10 years in total.

The bill’s advancement marks a key step in the government’s broader push for public sector reforms, especially in agencies handling multi-billion-shilling infrastructure projects.