NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 14 — President William Ruto has announced the establishment of the Ulinzi Construction Company, a new military-run entity tasked with spearheading infrastructure development in Kenya’s most challenging and underserved regions.
Speaking during the announcement, President Ruto said the company would empower the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to take a leading role in constructing roads, bridges, and housing projects, particularly in hardship areas such as Turkana, West Pokot, and Northern Kenya.
“I am very proud that we will finally have the Ulinzi Construction Company, equipped with all the capabilities necessary for the KDF to undertake construction of roads, bridges, and houses, especially in the difficult areas of our nation,” President Ruto said Tuesday while presiding over KDF Day at Moi Barracks, Eldoret.
Ruto emphasized that the government would fully equip the company to ensure it operates efficiently and to establish military bases in remote and strategic areas across the country.
“I have committed to the KDF fraternity that the Government of Kenya will provide all the necessary equipment to realize this vision because we want to establish bases in some of the difficult areas in Kenya,” he added.
The President stressed that the initiative aligns with his administration’s vision of a modern, secure, and prosperous Kenya, while strengthening national resilience and self-reliance in infrastructure delivery.
He hailed the KDF for their contribution toward the government’s broader goal of national transformation.
“The KDF are the builders of the Kenya we dream of—a Kenya that is modern, united, secure, and full of possibility,” he said.
“As President and Commander-in-Chief, I am proud of what you have achieved—not only because you serve with honour, but also because your work gives life to the government’s vision of a transformed and prosperous Kenya.”
The formation of Ulinzi Construction Company was approved by the National Security Council in 2021, giving the KDF a more formal role in national development projects.
The company is expected to begin operations soon, leveraging the military’s engineering expertise to deliver high-quality projects efficiently and cost-effectively.
Former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Robert Kibochi, who oversaw the company’s conceptualization, said the initiative would enable the government to implement projects at a lower cost and within shorter timelines.
“With the company, it will be cheaper for the government to undertake certain construction tasks,” Gen. Kibochi said in a previous interview.
He explained that the company would allow the KDF to separate combat-related engineering tasks—such as building field roads and bridges during operations—from large-scale national construction projects.
“The idea is to separate combat operations like opening roads, bridges, and digging water points in remote areas. The construction company will mainly focus on horizontal construction and vertical buildings,” he noted.
The KDF has a long history of supporting national development through its engineering units, which have been instrumental in constructing roads, hospitals, and other infrastructure—especially in remote and insecure regions.
The creation of Ulinzi Construction Company institutionalizes this role, positioning the military as a key player in Kenya’s infrastructure transformation agenda.
The company will operate under the Ministry of Defence and collaborate with other government agencies to implement projects aligned with the country’s Vision 2030 and Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
