Budgetary allocations by East African countries to infrastructure development are a pointer to the seriousness with which the regional governments are taking this key aspect of the economy.

This year, Kenya allocated $266.3 million raised from the Railway Development Levy to the construction of the standard gauge railway that will connect the country to Uganda and eventually Rwanda.

Kenya will also soon commission Terminal 4 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. In addition, the country has also allocated $195 million for the upgrading of Kisumu and Isiolo airports and the construction of three new airports in Mandera, Malindi and Suneka. The country has also allocated over $1.2 billion for the construction and expansion of road networks to ease the movement of goods and services.

Tanzania has set aside $1.3 billion for procurement of wagons, rehabilitation of the central railway line and for the construction and rehabilitation of roads and bridges.

Whilst Uganda has increased its budget allocation for infrastructure to $990 million from $965 million. The allocation of more funds towards infrastructure is meant to accelerate the construction of ongoing road projects, new road projects and the upgrading of the railway to standard gauge.

Source: The East African