Institution of Engineers of Kenya when they visited Northern Water Collector Tunnel (NWCT) for bench marking purpose.[File-Standard]
The Government has called for engineers to take a central role in Kenya's economic planning, terming the profession key to meeting the country's ambitions for sustainable development, climate resilience and quality infrastructure. The state says Kenya can only achieve its development goals if there is stronger engineering input at every stage of public investment.
Speaking during the opening of the Second African Journal of Engineering Research and Innovation (AJERI) Scientific Conference at Kenyatta University, Cabinet Secretary for Treasury John Mbadi said engineers must move beyond project implementation to become key partners in economic planning, infrastructure financing and policy formulation.
In a speech delivered by the Director of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), Eng Kefa Seda, the CS noted that economic planning and engineering are inseparable as every national development plan eventually becomes an engineering project.
“Every development budget allocation eventually becomes a physical infrastructure. Every policy aspiration eventually requires technical implementation," he said.
Seda noted that although government allocates billions of shillings annually towards roads, affordable housing, irrigation, hospitals, schools, energy systems, digital connectivity and industrial infrastructure, the real value of those investments depends on engineering excellence.
"A budget by itself builds nothing. It is engineers who transform these public resources into tangible national assets. After resource allocation to various sectors of our economy, it is the engineer who converts public investments into lasting national wealth," he said.