Kenya should focus more on developing infrastructure

NAIROBI: Two decades ago, road trips to my in-laws home in Elgeyo Marakwet County were a bitter-sweet experience. Almost the entire road network was full of potholes that drastically slowed down the journey as they messed with the health of both the vehicle and those in it. We would crawl along, only fuelled on by the joy of family that awaited us. Thankfully, this road network is now evidently changed.

Indeed, infrastructure constitutes the veins of a country. It is through infrastructure that goods and people are able to move towards a green economy and more constructive interaction. Infrastructure developments create jobs and once complete greatly enhances green businesses.

To date, the US still depends a lot on infrastructure to create jobs. In 2012, 14.2 million workers were employed in infrastructure jobs all over the US, which comprised 11 per cent of national employment. The jobs included contractors, truck drivers, electricians, manual labourers and civil engineers. They built structures, laid out electrical wiring, built roads, fixed bridges and much more. Interestingly, most of these workers earned thirty per cent more than same-level workers in other sectors.

So important is infrastructure that in the last couple of years, China has birthed the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Evidently this bank is mobilising global resources to advance Asia’s infrastructure.

If world’s superpowers are focusing monumental time, money and energy on infrastructure, how much more should a country like Kenya, whose own infrastructure is far behind that of these two nations?

The critical roles of our roads, railways, drainage and other parts of our infrastructure are being further reinforced by the looming threat of El Niño. When the floods come, they are expected to leave our roads battered and possibly overwhelm our drainage systems. This threat should, however, jolt us to innovative and resourceful action in revamping our infrastructure.

As Kenyans, we need a clarion call to rebuild our country’s weary infrastructure. It should be a green call that transcends politics and election cycles. Infrastructure contractors may be the executors on the ground but 40 million Kenyans are the infrastructure owners. They must, therefore, be fully engaged and informed.

The number of Kenyans with green jobs should increase incrementally. This will however only happen if we discuss infrastructure with the same fervour that we discuss sports and politics. I suggest we view infrastructure with green eyes.

Since leaders are generally a reflection of the people they lead, county’s must prioritise good roads in every corner of the country, modern railways complementing these roads, elaborate drainage meandering through every crevice in urban centres and such efficient infrastructure developments. If the public demands this, the politics shall have to respond. Think green,act green.