The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury, John Mbadi, has defended the newly enacted National Infrastructure Fund Act, 2026, saying it will help reduce Kenya’s overreliance on borrowing to finance development projects.
Speaking during a widows’ empowerment programme in Kuria East Constituency in Migori County, Mbadi said the new financing model is designed to ease pressure on the country’s growing debt burden by mobilising domestic resources and attracting private sector investment for infrastructure development.
The CS noted that Kenya has been edging toward difficulty in servicing its debts due to heavy borrowing for development, making alternative financing approaches necessary.
According to Mbadi, the National Infrastructure Fund will provide a more sustainable way of funding key projects without increasing reliance on external loans.
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He explained that the model, championed by President William Ruto, aims to mobilise local and private investment to support major infrastructure projects across the country.
Mbadi also urged residents of the Kuria community to support the president’s development agenda and grant him a second term to complete ongoing projects. He added that after 2032, the country’s leadership mantle should shift to the Western region.
President Ruto signed the National Infrastructure Fund Act, 2026, into law on March 9, paving the way for the government to mobilise up to KSh5 trillion over the next decade through privatisation and alternative financing mechanisms to support major infrastructure projects.
Among the key projects expected to benefit from the fund is the planned expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
The government also plans to extend the Standard Gauge Railway to Malaba, construct about 2,500 kilometers of dual highways, and develop 10,000 megawatts of clean energy capacity.
The law further expands the Railway Development Levy to support the growth of the country’s rail network under the new infrastructure financing structure.
Meanwhile, Awendo MP, Walter Owino, urged widows who benefited from empowerment funds to invest wisely and focus on income-generating activities to improve their livelihoods.
