Last year was a big year for infrastructure in Kenya, according to its State Department of Infrastructure.

In an article published in the Star John Mosonik, Kenyan Infrastructure Principal Secretary, highlighted some of the country’s infrastructure achievements and attributed them to Kenya’s key national economic blueprints and increased government spending in some sectors.

“Increased spending on roads has resulted in marked improvements on this component which remains a major means of transport in our country,” said Mosonik.

A total of 140 km of new roads were built last year and 115 km were rehabilitated.

“The ministry and its agencies were able to do routine maintenance on some 24 770 km of roads, while some 312 km benefited from periodic maintenance,” he added.

Mosonik pointed out that implementing agencies have set aside Sh16.5 billion (approximately R211 billion) for maintenance in 2014/5.

He noted that improvements to the country’s infrastructure were not limited to roads, with work being done in supportive infrastructure as well.

Some of the work included the construction of weighbridges, one-stop border posts, and work on the Lamu Port Southern Sudan and Ethiopia Transport Corridor project.

According to Mosonik the government also invested in training for those in the industry with 896 plan operators and 233 contractors, engineers, technicians and supervisors trained.

He added that the State Department of Infrastructure will continue to award at least 30 per cent of its tenders to youth, women and the disabled, in line with Government policy.