Why Kenya’s Mega Projects Failed – Irungu Nyakera Exposes Economic Sabotage and Policy Missteps

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🔍 Key Revelations from the Interview:

1. LAPSSET Was Dead on Arrival
Although envisioned as a game-changer for regional trade, the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport Corridor (LAPSSET) became a white elephant. Nyakera revealed that Ethiopia and South Sudan never fully committed to the corridor, choosing instead to invest in alternative ports in Somalia and Djibouti.

“We built a port for Ethiopia, then watched them walk away,” he noted. “It was a project that lacked geopolitical foresight.”

2. Isiolo Airport – A Runway to Nowhere
The Isiolo Airport, built with a massive budget, ended up being functionally useless due to a substandard runway and a complete lack of commercial demand. According to Nyakera, the project was politically motivated rather than economically justified.

3. SGR: A Good Idea, Poorly Executed
Nyakera defended the logic behind building the Standard Gauge Railway but condemned how it was rolled out without supporting industrial infrastructure such as the Naivasha industrial park.

“We spent 120 billion to end up in Duka Moja — a place with no roads, no factories, no business,” he said.


🛑 Kenya’s Spending Problem

Nyakera insists Kenya doesn’t have a revenue problem — it has a spending problem.

“Billions are wasted because people in government don’t treat public money like their own. Decisions are made without proper planning, and no one is ever held accountable.”


🔄 Geopolitical Missteps and Foreign Policy Failures

From China to the U.S., Nyakera criticized Kenya’s foreign policy, calling it “a weekly parade of diplomatic gaffes.” He warns that these missteps have global consequences and may cost Kenya future investment and regional credibility.


🎧 Listen on Spotify

Catch the full conversation on FA Mambbo Africa via Spotify or watch on YouTube for more insights into Kenya’s political economy and leadership crisis.

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