The Kenya Roads Board (KRB) has appointed Judith K. Otsyula as Director General, signaling a strategic shift in the management of the nation’s multi-billion shilling road maintenance levy.

Effective February 18, 2026, Judith Otsyula steps into the hottest seat in Kenya’s infrastructure sector. Her appointment comes at a critical juncture where the board faces mounting pressure to optimize the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF) amidst crumbling networks and tightening fiscal space. The Board of Directors confirmed the selection following a rigorous, competitive recruitment process aimed at injecting fresh technocratic leadership.

A Mandate of Restoration

Otsyula inherits a portfolio defined by high stakes and higher expectations. The KRB oversees the funding that keeps Kenya moving, and her tenure will likely be judged by her ability to ensure transparency and efficiency in fund disbursement. Industry insiders view her appointment as a move to professionalize the oversight of road assets that are deteriorating faster than they are being repaired.

• The Challenge: Balancing the allocation of funds between national highways and the neglected county feeder roads.
• The Expectation: Stakeholders are demanding a departure from political patronage in road tenders to a merit-based maintenance schedule.

Infrastructure as Economic Lifeblood

With the government’s focus on connectivity as an economic driver, Otsyula’s role is pivotal. "The road network is the artery of our economy," she stated in a past address. Now, she holds the scalpel. Her leadership will determine whether the taxpayer's money translates into tarmac or evaporates into bureaucracy.

As she assumes office, the sector watches closely. Otsyula represents a new chapter of accountability, but the potholes of Kenyan politics are notoriously deep.