TI-Kenya's new report flags the SGR as Kenya's highest corruption-risk infrastructure project, scoring 4.49/5, alongside governance gaps in Kiambu and Vihiga housing schemes.
Kenya's flagship infrastructure project just got a damning report card — and it's not pretty.
Transparency International Kenya (TI-Kenya) has released a new report, Corruption Risk Assessment of Infrastructure Projects in Kenya, identifying the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) as the highest-risk public project assessed, scoring a staggering 4.49 out of 5 on the Infrastructure Corruption Risk Assessment Tool (ICRAT).
The Numbers Don't Lie
The report examined governance structures, procurement processes, and oversight mechanisms across several major public projects. Alongside the SGR, the assessment flagged:
- Kiambu Civil Servants Housing Scheme — scoring 3.24/5, a moderately high corruption risk
- Vihiga Affordable Housing Project — flagged for governance weaknesses raising accountability concerns
TI-Kenya Executive Director Sheila Masinde did not mince words about what the findings mean for the country.
"This report highlights critical governance gaps that continue to undermine the integrity of infrastructure development in Kenya," Masinde said, warning that without urgent reforms, Kenya risks "losing billions of public resources while failing to deliver meaningful benefits to citizens."
Why the SGR Scored So High
According to the report, the SGR's poor score boils down to a familiar pattern: secrecy. Investigators found limited transparency in how the project was financed and contracted, with key agreements and cost structures largely inaccessible to the public. Procurement processes were described as opaque, casting doubt on whether contractors were selected fairly and whether taxpayers got value for money.
The report also pointed to weak oversight and accountability mechanisms during both planning and implementation, compounded by low levels of public participation in one of the largest infrastructure investments in Kenya's history.
These findings echo long-standing concerns over SGR land compensation, including the ongoing case against former National Land Commission (NLC) Chairperson Muhammad Swazuri, who has been in court since 2018 over alleged irregular payments tied to unclear land valuation and ownership during the compensation process.
Housing Projects Not Spared Either
The affordable housing schemes didn't escape scrutiny either. TI-Kenya flagged missing critical documentation — including Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), feasibility studies, and Bills of Quantities — as a recurring red flag in both the Kiambu and Vihiga projects.
TI-Kenya's Head of Programmes, Gibson Mwaita, said these are not one-off lapses but signs of deeper rot. He cautioned that the weaknesses reflect systemic governance failures rather than isolated incidents, and stressed that strengthening institutional safeguards and improving access to information will be key to curbing future losses.
A Pattern Too Familiar
The report's findings align with earlier EACC investigations into large-scale public finance scandals, including an alleged embezzlement of over Ksh 1.5 billion from the National Treasury linked to a UN-backed housing initiative — funds reportedly siphoned through fraudulent documentation into private accounts, with some allegedly used to acquire high-value property.
Taken together, the report paints a troubling picture: Kenya's biggest infrastructure bets continue to be made in the dark, with citizens footing the bill but rarely getting a seat at the table.