President Uhuru Kenyatta has said African countries have the capacity to determine their infrastructure needs.
He said African countries understand the priorities of their people and should not be dictated upon on what infrastructure projects to implement.
“Please we know what we need, we know what we must do. We are no longer going to be the dumping grounds for products and goods while our people have no jobs, while our people suffer in poverty,” President Kenyatta said.
Responding to an article in the Economist that cited World Bank criticising Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway as uneconomical, President Kenyatta said Kenya is best placed to know the projects that have direct impact on its people.
Speaking on Monday during the State House infrastructure summit at State House, Nairobi, President Kenyatta pointed out that similar criticism was directed to the so-called Asian Tigers but they ignored it and now they are amongst the fastest growing nations in the world.
“I just want to pose a question to those who challenge us as a country and as a continent where are those nations today?,” asked President Kenyatta.
He added: “The now fully grown Asian Tigers are probably among the most prosperous nations in the world. Yet they ignored the World Bank and ignored the IMF. Today they actually have their own development bank.”
The Head of State said Kenya is keen to move to the next level and this can only be achieved if the country makes appropriate investments in infrastructure.
President Kenyatta welcomed the summit, saying it provided a platform for positive engagement between government, private sector and the people of Kenya on what is happening in the infrastructure sector.
“This is part and parcel of being transparent, being open and allowing Kenyans an opportunity to engage with their government and various agencies on what is being done with their money,” President Kenyatta said.
He said: “The only way we can know we are doing the right thing or not is through an engagement such as this.”
Saying infrastructure projects are expensive ventures, the President emphasised that those in charge must ensure prudent utilisation of resources in the sector.
By PSCU