Ruto Signs KSh5 Trillion Infrastructure Law, Clearing Path for JKIA Expansion

By : Mweru Mbugua 

President William Ruto has signed into law the KSh5 trillion National Infrastructure Bill, 2026, a move expected to accelerate major development projects including the expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

The legislation, sponsored by Kimani Ichung’wah—Majority Leader in the National Assembly of Kenya and MP for Kikuyu creates a National Infrastructure Fund (NIF) designed to finance large-scale projects across the country

Under the new framework, the fund will support investments in roads, railways, ports, irrigation, and energy, marking a shift from traditional government-funded infrastructure to a corporate-style investment model aimed at attracting private capital

According to President Ruto, the government plans to mobilize the KSh5 trillion over the next decade, while reducing reliance on borrowing and taxation. The NIF will operate as an investment vehicle rather than a conventional state fund

The expansion of JKIA will be the first project financed through the fund. The project is expected to include about KSh20 billion in equity participation from the NIF alongside domestic institutional investors

Ruto noted that similar investment-focused infrastructure funds have been successfully implemented in other countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, India, Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Africa

He also highlighted Kenya’s growing pool of domestic capital, pointing out that pension fund assets grew by KSh700 billion last year, a 25 percent increase that brought total pension assets to KSh2.81 trillion

Also read : Flood Death Toll Climbs to 43 as Heavy Rains Ravage 16 Counties

The National Infrastructure Fund will be overseen by a board of eight members, including four independent directors selected competitively, three public officials appointed based on expertise, and a chief executive officer serving as an ex-officio member

Strategic oversight will come from a governing council led by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, Central Bank of Kenya Governor Kamau Thugge, and the Attorney General, alongside six additional non–public officer members

The council will guide investment policies, provide strategic direction, and oversee the recruitment of the fund’s board

Among the major projects expected to benefit from the fund are the Loosuk–Lessos power transmission line, the Galana-Kulalu irrigation project, the Rironi–Naivasha–Mau Summit highway, and the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway to Malaba