Veteran engineer to lead rural roads agency for three years after rigorous selection process Jackson Karubiu Magondu has been appointed as the new Director General of the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) for a three‑year term, renewable once, following a competitive and rigorous recruitment process, the Board Chairman Anthony Ng’ang’a Mwaura announced on Wednesday.
Magondu takes the helm of the authority responsible for the development, rehabilitation, maintenance and management of rural roads across Kenya, a critical arm of the country’s broader infrastructure agenda that seeks to improve access, connectivity and economic opportunities for remote communities.
A seasoned professional engineer with over 30 years of experience in the roads and infrastructure sector, Magondu brings deep technical and leadership expertise to his new role. He has served in several senior capacities, notably as Director of Planning, Design and Environment at KeRRA, where he guided strategic planning and technical oversight of major rural road programmes.
His record includes more than 24 years of post‑registration experience in highway and road engineering, with a demonstrated track record in institutional capacity building and driving construction and maintenance of rural transport networks. The Board highlighted his proven strategic direction and institutional leadership, describing him as well‑placed to steer the authority into its next phase of performance and impact.
Magondu holds a Master’s Degree in Infrastructure Management from Yokohama National University in Japan and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Nairobi. He has also completed numerous executive and senior management courses, is registered with the Engineers Board of Kenya, and is a corporate member of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya as well as a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK).
The leadership transition comes after the resignation of former KeRRA Director General Philemon Kandie in July 2025, when Magondu was first appointed in an acting capacity to ensure continuity of leadership. Kandie’s departure took effect months before the end of his original contract, prompting the competitive recruitment that culminated in Magondu’s substantive appointment.
In congratulating Magondu, Board Chairman Anthony Ng’ang’a expressed confidence in his ability to drive the authority’s mandate forward and strengthen its role in expanding rural road infrastructure a key pillar of Kenya’s development strategy.
Faith Masita
