Ruto Signs Ksh.5 Trillion Infrastructure Fund, JKIA Expansion Set to Lead Projects

President William Ruto has signed the Ksh.5 trillion National Infrastructure Bill, 2026, paving the way for major infrastructure projects across Kenya. The law establishes a fund aimed at developing roads, railways, ports, energy, irrigation, and urban projects, with the goal of boosting economic growth.

Sponsored by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, the bill introduces a corporate-style investment fund designed to attract private capital. The government plans to reduce reliance on borrowing and taxation, mobilizing resources from domestic and institutional investors over the next ten years.

Ruto said the fund is modeled on successful international examples. “This is not an experiment. It is a model that has been adopted successfully around the world,” he stated, citing similar funds in Nigeria, India, Ghana, Canada, South Africa, and the UK. He highlighted Kenya’s growing domestic capital, noting that pension fund assets rose by Ksh.700 billion last year, bringing total assets to Ksh.2.81 trillion.

The first major project under the fund will be the expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). About Ksh.20 billion will come from the fund and local institutional investors to support the project. Ruto said this initiative will kickstart a decade-long plan to modernize Kenya’s infrastructure.

A board of eight directors will manage the fund, including four independent directors, three public officers, and a chief executive officer. Oversight will be provided by a governing council comprising Treasury CS John Mbadi, Central Bank Governor Dr. Kamau Thugge, the Attorney General, and six other experts. The council will guide investment strategy and recruit directors.

Projects expected to benefit include the Loosuk–Lessos power transmission line, the Galana-Kulalu irrigation project, the Rironi–Naivasha–Mau Summit highway, and the Standard Gauge Railway extension to Malaba.

The fund represents a shift toward an investment-led development model, blending public and private capital to accelerate infrastructure delivery. Officials say it will improve connectivity, create jobs, and support long-term economic transformation across Kenya.