In 2016, Kenya became the country with the greatest number of large infrastructure projects in East Africa, accounting for 25.6 percent of the eleven projects implemented. Below are four projects for infrastructure in Kenya that will help improve the transport, real estate, shipping and ports and energy and power sectors.

Mombasa-Nairobi Railway

The Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway Project started in 2013 and began building a new standard gauge railway line for transportation between the cities of Mombasa and Nairobi. The completed railway would accommodate both passengers and cargo. Passengers’ travel time between the two cities would be cut from more than ten hours to just over four hours, while cargo would be transported in less than eight hours.

The project is said to be completed in December 2017. This project will not only decrease travel time but it will cut the costs of travel. With 40 stations to be built between Mombasa and Nairobi, the project offers an opportunity to create 30,000 new jobs with this development of infrastructure in Kenya.

Tatu City Project

Over $500 million is being invested for the creation of Tatu City’s industrial park. This park will include residential developments, businesses, a technology park, parks and playgrounds, hospitals and health facilities, schools and light industrial and warehousing facilities. With the addition of these different forms of infrastructure, thousands of jobs will be created. It will also lead to an approximate five percent decrease in Kenya’s housing deficit through the creation of more affordable homes.

Lamu Port Berths

The goal of the Lamu Port Berths project is to build 32 deep sea berths, which are places where ships will dock, and shipyards for the port at Manda Bay. There have been two berths constructed so far with the third being completed in 2018. The first three are economically covered by Kenya’s government. The rest of the 29 berths will be covered by private sector investors.

In the process of building each berth, there has been supporting infrastructure projects completed to assist in the building. Port headquarters, a police station and an electric power connection and water reticulation network have been constructed.

Lake Turkana Wind Power Project

With a vision of “providing reliable, low-cost energy to Kenya”, the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project has finished the development of a wind farm in the Loiyangalani District of Marsabit County. Since this area has temperature fluctuations daily that change wind forces, it is the optimal place to build a wind farm to generate energy. The wind farm includes 365 wind turbines that cover 40,000 acres. In July 2017, the wind farm was ready to provide 310MW of low-cost energy to Kenya’s national grid. This is the largest wind farm project in Africa and will transmit 428 km from Lake Turkana to Susua.

Infrastructure in Kenya is improving each year as the country works towards the goal of improving the livelihood of its residents. Their efforts have improved railway transportation, public building infrastructure, shipyards and energy farms. Overall, a better Kenya will be the ultimate goal of these projects.

– Brianna Summ

Photo: Flickr