Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has appointed six members to the board of Kenya’s National Infrastructure Fund (NIF), marking a key step in operationalising the government’s ambitious infrastructure financing plan.
The appointments, published in a Gazette Notice and effective from July 8, 2026, will run for three years. They were made under Section 13(1) of the National Infrastructure Fund Act, 2026, which sets out the composition of the fund’s board.
Among those appointed is Centum Investment Company Chief Executive James Mworia Mwirigi, one of Kenya’s best-known corporate leaders with experience spanning finance, investment and law.
The other appointees are Fahima Ali Ahmed Zein, Christopher Kibui Maranga, Latoya Ouna, Lawrence Kibet and Mohammed Abdirahman Hassan. The law requires the board to comprise independent directors alongside public officers selected on the basis of their expertise or the offices they hold.
According to the National Treasury, the appointments follow a competitive recruitment process. Sixteen candidates, shortlisted from a pool of 78 applicants, were interviewed on June 29 and 30 before the final selections were made.
The National Infrastructure Fund is expected to become one of the government’s principal financing vehicles for major public projects. President William Ruto signed the National Infrastructure Fund Act into law on March 9, 2026, paving the way for the mobilisation of up to KSh5 trillion over the next decade through privatisation proceeds and alternative financing models.
The government says the fund is intended to reduce Kenya’s dependence on borrowing to finance large-scale infrastructure while creating a more sustainable source of capital for long-term investments.
Among the flagship projects expected to receive support are the expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway to Malaba, the construction of approximately 2,500 kilometres of dual carriageways and the development of 10,000 megawatts of clean energy capacity.
The legislation also broadens the scope of the Railway Development Levy, allowing it to contribute to financing the country’s expanding rail infrastructure under the new funding framework.
The newly appointed board is expected to oversee the governance and implementation of the fund as the government seeks to accelerate delivery of its infrastructure agenda while easing pressure on the national debt.
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