By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Kenya, August 12, 2026 - Kenya must increase infrastructure investment to more than seven per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to meet rising demand for roads, water, energy and digital connectivity as the population grows, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has said.
Chirchir said the country’s population is projected to reach 85 million by 2050, putting greater pressure on infrastructure and requiring increased investment in roads and other critical sectors.
He spoke in Naivasha when he opened the fifth Annual Conference of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Kenya (ACEK), where he called for a shift towards smart, green and climate-resilient infrastructure.
The conference, attended by Principal Secretary for Roads Joseph Mbugua, engineers, policymakers, regulators, financiers, development partners and academics, is being held under the theme, “Engineering Transformation: Scaling Green Growth, Smart Infrastructure and Resilient Futures.”
Chirchir said infrastructure investment currently stands at about four to five per cent of GDP, which he argued was inadequate to support Kenya’s long-term development needs.
He urged the engineering profession to embrace digital technologies, green solutions and climate-resilient designs to ensure infrastructure can withstand future challenges.
The CS said technologies such as artificial intelligence-assisted design, digital twins and Internet of Things sensors were already transforming engineering by reducing errors, shortening design cycles, enabling real-time monitoring and supporting predictive maintenance.
He also pointed to Kenya’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 32 per cent by 2030, saying the target would require the country to rethink how infrastructure is designed, constructed and managed.
Chirchir cited the 740-kilometre Horn of Africa Gateway Development corridor and other regional infrastructure projects valued at about $160 billion as major opportunities for Kenyan engineers and firms.
He said engineers had a critical role in ensuring the country benefits from such investments while developing infrastructure that is efficient, safe, sustainable and resilient.
The CS also highlighted digital transformation at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), citing the installation of Smart Gates, upgrading of the Terminal Operating System and development of the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone as initiatives improving efficiency and competitiveness at the Port of Mombasa.
He said such investments demonstrated how engineering, technology and innovation could transform critical infrastructure and improve service delivery.
At the port, engineers are involved in expansion and modernisation of berths, development of resilient infrastructure and deployment of advanced cargo-handling systems.
Chirchir called for closer collaboration between government agencies, engineers, industry players, financiers, academia and development partners to accelerate Kenya’s infrastructure transformation.
The conference provides a platform for consulting engineers and other stakeholders to discuss infrastructure development, energy transition, green growth and climate resilience.
Also present were ACEK president Gabriel Jabong’o, Institution of Engineers of Kenya president Harrison Keter, representatives of State agencies and parastatals, ACEK council members, development partners, academics and consulting engineers.
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