All world leaders and high-profile public figures leave behind complicated legacies, even the great ones.
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s legacy is rather complex. The complexity revolves around the fact that he is the first Kenyan Youngest president the time he was elected in 2013. Consequently, his legacy has to be viewed through that lens and many of the achievement he has accomplished since then.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has kept contractors and civil servants on toes in an attempt to ensure the projects are completed before the end of his second term.
The projects
Berth 19 at the port of Mombasa
In August 2013, President Kenyatta launched a new berth at the port of Mombasa.
The Sh5.8 Billion project was set to increase the facility’s capacity to hold up to three containers of up to 250-meter length.
Olkaria IV geothermal power plant
In October 2014, the Head of State opened the world’s largest geothermal wind power plant in Naivasha.
The Sh11.5 Billion project was co-financed by the Kenyan government through KenGen, as well as World Bank, French Development Agency, the European Investment Bank among others.
Nairobi Outer Ring Road
The President, in January 2015, launched the construction of the 13-kilometre Nairobi Outer Ring Road aimed at easing transport within Nairobi County.
Key outcomes include improved accessibility to the larger populations of Nairobi Eastlands area, reduced travel time to commuters, improved air quality to travelers and residents residing closer to the roadway, improved property values arising from reduced congestion, and improved business environment for informal traders arising from new market facilities and improved sanitation.
The 8.5 Billion project is fully funded by the African Development Bank and the European Union in partnership with the Kenyan government.
The 13-kilometre road which is still under construction will be converted into a six-lane highway with interchanges and overpasses.
Lake Turkana Wind Power project
In July 2015, Kenyatta launched Africa’s biggest wind power initiative, Lake Turkana Wind Power project in Turkana County.
The Sh7 Billion project was funded by several investors from around the world.
The Wind Farm is providing reliable, low-cost energy to Kenya’s national grid approximately 17 per cent of the country’s installed capacity, which will be bought at a fixed price by Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited (KPLC) over 20 years under the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
The project is expected to raise 310 megawatts of electricity upon completion.
The Pinnacle Tower
In May 2017, the country again witnessed the unveiling of the Pinnacle Tower – a 70 storey building which will be the tallest tower in Africa.
The 900 feet building is located at Upper Hill area in Nairobi County.
It began as a result of a collaboration between Hass Petroleum Group and China State Engineering Company and will be constructed at Sh20 Billion.
The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR)
The President flagged off the first Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) passenger train named Madaraka Express.
Kenyatta rode on the train’s presidential coach accompanied by various dignitaries and members of the public in the first voyage from Mombasa to Nairobi.
The Sh327 Billion SGR project was co-financed by the Kenyan government and the China Exim Bank.
The train has a passenger capacity of 1200 and will be charging Sh700 for economy class tickets.
LAPSSET Project – Sh11 billion
Sh2.5 trillion projects will link Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia with railways, waterways, airspace and highways. It is supposed to open up the Northern Corridor which has been economically inactive since independence.
Kenya Urban Housing Program (KenUP) – Sh11.9 billion
A total of 100,000 affordable homes are planned to be built in Kenya contributing to the country’s national development priorities and to address the critical need for housing.
The sh 11.9 billion projects were co-financed by the government of Kenya and the UNOPS
Huduma Number
Sh6 Billion Biometric registration project conducted by the National Integrated Identity Management system (NIIMS) and involves collecting biometric data after which the systems generates a unique number (Huduma Namba) which will enable one to access various services.
Naivasha to Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway
Sh 55.8 billion project is part of the Chinese-funded modern railway project that is supposed to link Kenya to Uganda and other East Africa countries.
National Government Constituency Fund (NGCDF)
Cash kitty for members of the national assembly to invest in development projects such as bursaries, health etc as long as they are in line with national government functions
Thre project costs sh 38.7 billion.
Devolution Support Program For-Results
Another World Bank-funded project is aimed at strengthening the capacity of core national and county institutions to improve the delivery of devolved services at the county level.
Managed Equipment Service-Hire of Medical Equipment for 98 hospitals at Sh6.2 billion
Through the scheme, the National Government is equipping two hospitals in each County and four National Referral hospitals with medical equipment to be used for dialysis, chemotherapy among others.
Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children
Launched in 2004, the program is aimed at meeting the needs of the country’s increasing number of children made vulnerable by poverty and HIV/AIDS.
It started as a pilot project in Garissa, Kwale and Nairobi, then supported by UNICEF. At the initial stage, it supported 500 Households, each receiving Ksh.500 per month.
The sh 6.2 billion program has progressively scaled up with the support of the Government, UNICEF, DFID and World Bank. It is currently (FY 2015/16) supporting 246,000 Households in all 47 counties.
Roll-out Universal Health Coverage
The sh 6 billion program aims to ensure all Kenyans have access to critical healthcare services launched on 13th December 2018.
The money will be used to scale up the project beyond the counties of Kisumu, Nyeri, Isiolo and Machakos where Universal Healthcare has been piloted.
It will ensure that Kenyans receive quality, promote, preventive, and curative and rehabilitation health services without suffering financial hardship.
The objective of the UHC in Kenya Include; Ensuring that Kenyans have access to an explicit unified progressive Health benefits package; Expansion of the population under Universal Health Insurance coverage; Increasing the availability and coverage of quality essential interventions; Ensuring financial risk protection for Kenyans and with a special focus for the poor and the vulnerable groups; and Ensuring adequacy of Health resources for the delivery of health services, among others.
Equalization Fund Transfers
Established by the 2010 Constitution, Equalization Fund is aimed at accelerating the level of services in marginalized areas to bring them up to par with the rest of the country.
The project cost sh 5.8 billion.
Kenya Electricity Modernization Project
Another World Bank sh 5.4 billion funded project with three-pronged function: increase access to electricity, improve the reliability of electricity service and strengthen Kenya Power and Lighting Company’s financial situation
Cash Transfer to elderly – Sh5 billion
Another program through which Government cost sh 5 billion with the aims of reducing poverty and inequality among the elderly people. A monthly stipend of Sh2, 000 is delivered every two months per household through appointed payment agent.
National Housing Development Fund
The Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development – State Department for Housing and Urban Development, has been tasked with the delivery of 500,000 affordable homes under the Big Four Agenda.
The project cost sh 5 billion.
Low Volume Seals Phase1 Batch
Part of the 10,000 km Low Volume Seal Roads Program in which the Government aims to open up rural areas and decongest major towns by laying 10,000 km of tarmacked roads at cost of sh 4.8 billion.
Transforming Health Systems for Universal Care Project
This is another sh 4.6 billion World Bank project which is aimed at improving utilization and quality of primary health care services with a focus on reproductive, maternal, new-born, child, and adolescent health services.
Digital Literacy Programme- Sh4.2 billion
Initially known as the laptop program, the project cost sh 4.2 billion and it is aimed at ensuring that every pupil is prepared for today’s digital world, and to transform learning in Kenya into a 21st-century education system.
Free Maternity Program (Strategic Intervention) – Sh4.1 billion
Introduced in Kenya in 2013, the program allows pregnant women to give birth in public hospitals for free, a situation that would help reduce maternal death.
National Security Telecommunications Service (NSTS)
An integrated communications platform aimed at enhancing the sharing of information between Kenya’s security agencies.
Based in Embakasi Garrison, the service will facilitate the sharing of information between Kenya’s security agencies.
National Air Support Department (NASD)
The newly created multi-agency unit will work together in ensuring efficient utilization of national aviation assets.
NASD will improve safety, efficiency and enhance the availability of aircraft for service delivery.
Nairobi Metropolitan Services
Nairobi Metropolitan Services Improvement Project for Kenya is to strengthen urban services and infrastructure in the Nairobi metropolitan region and it’s another World Bank Project costing sh 27.89 billion.
Nairobi Expressway
The Sh62 billion project, which was started late last year, could revolutionaries transport in Nairobi and ease traffic jams on Mombasa Road.
Nairobi-Mombasa expressway
The construction of the Nairobi-Mombasa expressway expansion project is estimated to cost KES230bn, which will be partly funded by the US Export Credit Agencies (ECAs).
The Kenyan Government signed a letter of interest with the US Government’s development finance institution The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) in September 2016, to finance the Nairobi-Mombasa expressway project.
Affordable Housing
This is another World Bank project costing sh 26.8B aiming at expanding access to affordable housing finance to targeted beneficiaries. There is one component to the project, support to the Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company (KMRC). This component will support the establishment, capitalization and operationalization of KMRC.
Food security.
One of the four items that the government seeks to deliver on its 100 per cent food security and nutrition commitment. It seeks to achieve this by increasing large scale production of staple foods, a move that will see 700,000 new acres of maize, potatoes, and rice being put under cultivation in a private/public partnership.
The crops will be grown under irrigation, to solve the problem of erratic rains, which affect several farmers across the country. The move is expected to increase, by a significant amount, the level of crop production in the country. By 2022, it is expected that maize production will increase by 27 million bags, and potatoes by 0.9 million tons.
Manufacturing.
Manufacturing mainly focusing is enhancing the local manufacturing industry to offer employment to Kenyans and reduce the trade deficit that the country is currently experiencing.
There are several planned initiatives for boosting the local manufacturing sector, top among them being the establishment of special economic zones, where manufacturing companies or plants will receive several benefits such as reduced taxation and the revival of the textile industries.