President William Ruto has put a Sh600 billion to Sh700 billion price tag on government investment in the Nyanza region, unveiling a county-by-county list of roads, railways, housing and energy projects during a four-day tour of Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori that runs through September 16, 2026. The figure covers projects already under construction and others still on paper, and it spans everything from a Sh450 billion Standard Gauge Railway extension to Sh7.8 billion for rural electricity connections.
The tour, which began in Kisumu on September 13, is as much a political exercise as a development one. Ruto is courting ODM’s base ahead of the 2027 election, and he has repeatedly tied the projects to the late Raila Odinga’s 2022 manifesto pledges on housing and rail. Here is what has actually been announced, county by county, and what’s confirmed versus what’s still a plan.
What’s in the Sh700 billion package?
Speaking in Kisumu on September 13, Ruto broke the figure down into several large allocations rather than a single project. The road budget for the region, he said, has grown from about Sh10 billion in 2022 to Sh92 billion now. Housing, hostels and markets account for Sh135 billion. The rest is split between rail, energy and water.
| Project / allocation | Cost | Status (as of Sept 15, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| SGR extension, Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba | Sh450 billion | Under construction |
| Housing, hostels and markets across Nyanza | Sh135 billion | Mixed — some commissioned, some planned |
| Nuclear power project (Siaya), initial 2,000MW phase | Sh250 billion | Early-stage planning |
| Lake Victoria Ring Road, phase one | Sh60 billion | Agreement signed; construction from November 2026 |
| Regional road network (cumulative, since 2022) | Sh92 billion | Ongoing |
| Blue economy investment, four counties | Sh12 billion | Ongoing |
| Rural electricity connectivity | Sh7.8 billion | Ongoing |
Some of these overlap in scope with earlier announcements — the SGR and nuclear-power figures, for instance, are national projects rather than Nyanza-only spending, even though Ruto cited them as part of the region’s package. That’s worth keeping in mind when comparing the Sh700 billion figure to what residents will actually see built locally.
What’s already been commissioned, versus what’s still a promise?
On the tour’s second day in Kisumu County, Ruto commissioned the Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Project in Kisumu Central constituency and the Rabuor-Chiga road in Nyando constituency, inspected the Mamboleo-Chemelil-Muhoroni-Kipsitet road in Muhoroni constituency, and commissioned the airport control tower at Kisumu International Airport in Kisumu West. Those are physical, present-tense actions — ribbon-cuttings, not pledges.
The Lake Victoria Ring Road, by contrast, is a signed agreement with construction due to start in November. The nuclear power project and further housing phases remain at the planning and budgeting stage. Kenyans weighing the announcement should treat “commissioned” and “planned” as two different categories, not one undifferentiated Sh700 billion.
Why Nyanza, and why now?
The tour lands roughly 14 months before the 2027 General Election, in a region that has historically backed the opposition. Ruto used the Kisumu stop to defend his affordable-housing programme against criticism from Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who has accused the government of planning to allocate completed units to police officers. “We have planned 20,000 houses for police officers already,” Ruto said, addressing the claim directly rather than denying a police allocation exists.
He also framed the spending as a continuation of Raila Odinga’s 2022 campaign platform. “Housing was in his manifesto that he ran in 2022. Railways, ring roads, all those were part of his plans,” Ruto told the Kisumu crowd, adding that he believed Raila “is proud” of the projects now under way.
ODM figures who joined the tour framed their support in transactional terms. Deputy party leader Simba Arati said ODM expects a proportional share of government positions in return for its backing ahead of 2027, and cautioned against what he called “friendly fire” within the ruling coalition in Nyanza. ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga said the party remained fully committed to the UDA-ODM coalition. National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohammed used his remarks to question the opposition’s position on Ruto’s eligibility for a second term.
What’s happening in Homa Bay and Migori?
The tour reaches Homa Bay on September 15 and closes in Migori on September 16. Homa Bay’s share of the package leans toward roads, markets, housing and marine infrastructure on Lake Victoria, building on projects like the Homa Bay Pier and Oyugis water project from earlier phases of government investment in the county. In Migori, the government has pointed to an affordable-housing project, a market upgrade and continuing work at Kegonga Hospital as the local anchors of the visit.
Frequently asked questions
How much has Ruto pledged to Nyanza in total?
Between Sh600 billion and Sh700 billion, according to figures Ruto gave in Kisumu on September 13, 2026, covering road, rail, housing, energy, water and blue-economy spending across Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori counties.
Which counties does the tour cover?
Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori — the four counties that make up the Luo Nyanza sub-region. The tour runs September 13 to 16, 2026.
Is the Sh700 billion figure only for Nyanza?
No. Some of the largest line items, including the Sh450 billion SGR extension to Malaba and the Sh250 billion initial nuclear power phase, are national infrastructure projects that pass through or benefit the region rather than being Nyanza-specific spending.
When does construction start on the Lake Victoria Ring Road?
Ruto said the government would return to the region in November 2026 to begin the road’s first phase, budgeted at Sh60 billion. The agreement has already been signed.
Has any of this actually been built yet?
Some of it. On September 14, Ruto commissioned the Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Project, the Rabuor-Chiga road, and the Kisumu International Airport control tower, and inspected the Mamboleo-Chemelil-Muhoroni-Kipsitet road. Other items, including the ring road and nuclear power project, are not yet under construction.
For more on how national infrastructure spending is reaching other regions, see 254.ke’s coverage of the Sh19 billion Bomet roads plan in the South Rift and Nairobi’s Sh1 trillion traffic fix. 254.ke has also mapped the 18 counties at highest flood risk this El Niño season, several of them along the same Lake Victoria basin.
The Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway extension referenced above is being delivered by Kenya Railways Corporation.
By the 254.ke Newsroom.
