Governor Barasa Slams MPs Over Poor Road Funding as Counties Push for Fair Share
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has strongly criticized Members of Parliament for the deteriorating state of roads in many counties, accusing them of failing to advocate effectively for adequate funding from the national government.
Speaking amid growing frustration among devolved units, Barasa pointed out that poor road infrastructure continues to hinder economic growth, access to markets, and service delivery in rural areas. He argued that MPs, who represent constituencies across the country, have not done enough to ensure that road maintenance and construction funds are equitably distributed, leaving counties struggling to maintain even basic networks.
The Kenya Governors' Council and several county leaders have now united in demanding a fairer allocation of the Road Maintenance Levy and other road-related revenues collected by the national government. Counties argue that the current disbursement formula heavily favors the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), with only a small fraction trickling down to county-managed roads. Governors are calling for a review of the sharing mechanism to reflect the devolved responsibilities under the Constitution, insisting that counties should receive a significantly larger portion to address the massive backlog of unpaved and poorly maintained feeder roads.
In a related development, the governors have rejected a recent proposal that would limit county road funding to just five percent of the total road levy collections, describing it as inadequate and unconstitutional. They have urged the Senate—tasked with protecting devolution—to step in and defend the spirit of the 2010 Constitution by ensuring equitable resource sharing. Barasa and his fellow governors emphasized that without meaningful reforms, devolution risks being undermined, as counties remain unable to fulfill their mandate of providing accessible and reliable infrastructure to millions of Kenyans.
