President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the winner of this year's African award on transport and road infrastructure this week.
In a ceremony in Dakar, Senegal, the Africa Road Builders awarded the Head of State the 2018 Babacar Ndiaye award.
Uhuru was honoured for his administration's projects in railway, road, air as well as nationwide streetlighting.
[caption caption="File image of President Uhuru Kenyatta during the launching of the SGR "]
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President of Media for Infrastructure and Finance in Africa Adama Wade cited the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway as the major project that had an immense impact.
"The SGR has reduced costs of travelling between the two cities by half, at the same time taking half of the time for the trip,” he noted during the ceremony.
While congratulating President Kenyatta, the selection committee declared that the presentation of the trophy will take place on May 23 in Busan, South Korea during the African Development Bank annual meeting.
"We thank and congratulate the AfDB and its President Dr Akinwumi Adesina for putting the issue of roads and transport high on its agenda through its ‘High 5 to Transform Africa’ programme," noted Mr Wade.
Additionally, the General Commissioner of Africa Road Builders Barthelemy Kouame stated that transport networks, like blood vessels, must be clogged.
He further congratulated Kenya for the efforts to improve transport and to foster regional growth through such projects as the Lamu Port.
"We note the crucial role Kenya is playing as a commercial hub of East and Central Africa and the investment in big infrastructure projects to live up to the status,” he exclaimed.
[caption caption="File image of President Uhuru Kenyatta"]
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