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In recent years we've seen countries build railways with the aim of improving the country's infrastructure,to ensure smooth movement of goods and services. However the kenya uganda railway did the opposite of this as it was the one that gave birth to the modern Kenya and Uganda.
During the scramble for African colonies Britain was in a stiff competition with other European powers for African colonies. Kenya was vital to the british due to its strategic position as it was close to India and also was the source of river Nile. Therefore losing Kenya was not an option for Britain, however the kenyan hinterland provided Britain with litle mineral resources for exploitation. Farming was the major available exploitation option for Britain. The Kenya Uganda Railway urge was developed in the late 1890s.For Britain to have full control of British East Africa a railway was needed to facilitate easy movement into the interior. The Uk parliament passed a 5 million pound budget for the railway construction which began in the late 1890s and completed in 1901 at the port of Kisumu.
Construction of the railway was faced by many challenges such as; Lack of skilled workers,Britain had toimport over 30,0000 Indian workers. Harsh climatic conditions, Presence of tropical diseases. Resistance from local African communities. However the British enjoyed a lot of benefits after completion of the project which included; 1.There was easy movement of goods from the interior to the ports. 2.There was easy movement if troops into the interior which helped britain respond fast to resisting African communities. However the Rail came to benefit the locals after they attained independence,after independence Kenya was the most developed country in East Africa all thanks to the railway.The railway had led to allot of infrastructural development in the interior and economic growth.Kenya inherited all of this giving the developing nation by then a great boost to their growth.
