President William Ruto signed into law the Kenya Roads (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2025, which aims to align the terms of office for Director-Generals of the country's main roads authorities with the Mwongozo Code of Governance for State Corporations.
The new legislation, signed on August 8, 2025, after the National Assembly passed it, intends to enhance good governance and performance in the management of key road agencies, including the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KERRA), the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), and the Kenya National Highway Authority (KENHA).
In line with the Mwongozo Code, the Act will change the tenure of road agency chiefs to a three-year term, renewable once, as is the case for all Chief Executive Officers of State corporations.
This is a change from a previous provision that allowed for a five-year term, renewable once.
The new law will also amend section 12(4) of the Kenya Roads Board Act, Cap. 408A, applying the same term to the Director-General of the Kenya Roads Board.
The Kenya Roads Board Act, Cap. 408A, primarily aims to establish a corporate body with the authority to oversee the management and development of Kenya's entire road network.
The Act empowers the Kenya Roads Board (KRB) to manage and allocate funds, primarily derived from the Road Maintenance Levy, to various road agencies for the maintenance, rehabilitation and construction of roads.
The Act also enables the KRB to distribute Road Maintenance Levy funds to various road agencies for the maintenance, rehabilitation and construction of roads.
Furthermore, the KRB is tasked with the crucial role of advising the Cabinet Secretary on all matters concerning roads. The Act also clearly defines the responsibilities of Kenya's three main road authorities: the KENHA, KURA and the KERRA.
The legislation also sets forth stringent accountability measures, including the requirement for annual road programs and the implementation of technical, financial and performance audits to ensure that public funds are utilized efficiently and transparently.
The Act also includes transition clauses to facilitate a seamless change in leadership and management, preventing any disruption to the operations of the road authorities.
If they are in their first term, they will be eligible for a one-year reappointment. This transitional clause was intended to prevent any disruption in the leadership and operations of the road authorities.
By standardizing the terms of office through this law, the government stated that it is aiming to enhance accountability and performance in the management of the road authorities, a practice already in effect for other state corporations across the country.
