State disburses Sh 8.3 billion for roads maintenance to Counties

The Kenya Roads Board Fund (KRBF) has disbursed Sh 8.269
billion to County Governments for the financial year, 2018/19. This allocation
is a conditional grant for maintenance of County Roads.

The highest allocation has been disbursed  to Kilifi County (Sh 285,223,455.00) followed by Turkana (Sh 283,569,986.00), Kakamega (Sh 271,995,701), Mandera (Sh 267,035,293.00), Nakuru( Sh 248,847,131), Kiambu( Sh 246,366,927), Bungoma( Sh 235,619,376.00), Kitui( Sh 229,832,234.00) and Wajir( Sh 223,218,356.00), Mombasa( Sh 216,604,479.00).

Nairobi County, which has the highest budget ceiling of Sh 415,847,530.00,
has yet to receive any disbursements from the Kenya Roads Board, for the
2018/19 financial year.

“These funds have been released to Counties that have
complied with conditions of the grant,” said Eng. Jacob Z. Ruwa, Executive
Director, Kenya Roads Board.

Roads Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF) was established in 1993
to cater for maintenance of roads. The fund is raised from fuel levy on
petroleum products and transit toll collections.

Figures from the Kenya Roads Board indicate that the Road
sector requires Sh. 1,200 Billion in the next five years to bring the entire
road network to a maintainable condition.

Thereafter a sum of Kshs. 150 Billion annually would be
adequate for maintenance.

“To bridge this gap, KRB will raise the RMLF to Sh 100 Billion by the end of the five years and raise additional funds of Sh. 100 Billion through the issue of infrastructure bonds and Private Finance Initiatives,” said Engineer Ruwa on the preface of the Kenya Roads Board (2018-22) strategic plan.

In a notice, KRB said the funds had been released to all
compliant agencies to implement road works contained in the 2018/19 Annual
Public Roads Programme.