President William Ruto
IP REPORTER
NAIROBI, Nov. 27, 2025
Nairobi allegedly plans to spend KSh 24 billion on 24 roundabouts — that’s one billion per traffic circle.
According to posts circulating on verified X accounts,a roundabout will cost more than a 24-kilometre tarmac road.
The claim is absurd, yet it highlights a real problem: public funds are often diverted into flashy, short-lived projects while counties struggle to deliver basic services.
The Hidden Costs
Modern roundabouts now come equipped with sensors, LED lights, automated timers and decorative solar systems.
While impressive on opening day, these components fail within 6–18 months, forcing taxpayers to fund replacements annually.
Instead of long-term infrastructure, Nairobi gets recurring bills for circles that offer temporary shine.
Who Benefits
The architects of this scheme aren’t hapless politicians but seasoned engineers, consultants and contractors who pad budgets, overcomplicate scopes and pitch them to leaders eager for ribbon-cutting ceremonies.
The result: infrastructure couture at a cost to citizens, while counties remain underfunded.
What If the Money Went to Real Development?
Bungoma County, for example, currently receives KSh 12 billion per year — barely enough to cover salaries, utilities, and small development projects.
If the county received an extra KSh 10 billion per year for five years (moderate scenario), the transformation would be tangible:
Roads: ~500 km of new or upgraded rural and semi-urban roads, connecting villages, reducing transport costs, and easing market access.
Healthcare: ~250–400 new health clinics or centres, dramatically expanding access and reducing pressure on urban hospitals.
Education: ~120–200 new classroom blocks, easing overcrowding and providing improved learning environments.
The ripple effects would reach far beyond Bungoma.
Improved roads boost national trade, better healthcare reduces urban hospital strain, expanded schools produce skilled workers and agricultural productivity strengthens Kenya’s food security.
Voices from the Ground
Public frustration is evident online:
@Moe_254: “A billion per roundabout? Each better come with free Wi-Fi, a clinic, a police post, and a university inside.”
@Moe_Files: “Lights and sensors will die before the next election. Taxpayers will pay again.”
@Moe_Investigates: “Roundabouts don’t reduce traffic — they reduce public funds.”
@Moe_Unfiltered: “Bungoma could thrive with 25B. Nairobi spins circles that break faster than promises.”
@Moe_TheCitizen: “This is a subscription service where taxpayers are the unwilling subscribers.”
Lessons in Priorities
The KSh 24 billion roundabout saga is a warning.
It shows how inflated contracts and short-lived components drain public money, while counties that could deliver real change struggle with inadequate budgets.
With KSh 10 billion extra per year for five years, Bungoma could connect villages, expand healthcare to hundreds of thousands and provide classrooms for tens of thousands of children.
Compare that to Nairobi’s billion-shilling circles that demand endless maintenance. Until Kenya prioritizes value over spectacle, billions will continue to spin in circles and citizens will keep waiting for infrastructure that truly matters.
