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Uhuru signs law on mandates of Kenya Roads Board

Uhuru signs roads bill
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday signed into law the Kenya Roads Board (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which restructures the mandate and operations of the board and other agencies in the sector.
It does so by, among other changes, outlining how funds including exchequer resources will be used in construction and maintenance of roads.
One of the reforms in the new law is a limit on the amount of money allocated to rural roads- 10 percent of funds appropriated by Parliament annually. There was no limit in the past.
The law also seeks to ensure roads for which tenders have been awarded and money allocated are completed within the set timelines.
TRACK RECORD
The new law is expected to augment efforts by the government to improve rural infrastructure under the Big Four Agenda.
Upon taking over in 2013, the Jubilee government promised to tarmac at least 23,000 kilometers of road by 2017.
So far, data indicates, only 1950 kilometers of new roads have been tarmacked.
The government has, however, explained that at least 7,000 kilometers of road are at various stages of completion.  
RURAL ROADS
Further, the new law caps administrative expenditure on rural roads, in areas such as research, standardisation, capacity building, monitoring and evaluation, at 18 percent of the total allocation.
The Act also empowers the board to borrow and set aside funds for repayment of loans and other facilities taken for road maintenance, development and rehabilitation.
Present during the signing of the bill were Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, Attorney-General Paul Kihara, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and majority leader Aden Duale.
Others were Pokot South MP and the National Assembly's Infrastructure committee, Losiakou Pkosing, Infrastructure Principal Secretary Paul Maringa and National Assembly Clerk Michael Sialai.

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