How did a $12 million bridge collapse in Kenya?

It was an embarrassing collapse for Kenya’s ruling party.

On June 26, just two weeks after an “inspection” by President Uhuru Kenyatta, a $12 million Chinese-built Sigiri bridge in Western Kenya collapsed before it was completed.

Built by the Chinese Overseas Construction and Engineering Company in Busia County, the bridge connects a region that has historically lacked government investment and development. Around a dozen people died on the river after a boat capsized while attempting to cross in 2014.

President Kenyatta’s Jubileee Coalition has made infrastructure development a key pillar of its reelection strategy ahead of the coming presidential election.

On June 14, he made a campaign stop at the Sigiri bridge construction site and spoke to crowds gathered along the river.

He promised the bridge would bring development that the region had been denied for decades.

“There is a big difference between those who will sell to you propaganda and people who will sell to you real agenda for change,” President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a statement posted on the Presidency website.

Mombasa rail station —

Kenya is already an infrastructure powerhouse of East Africa -- leading the region for investment. But the next few years may see a quantum leap forward, with tens of billions of dollars to be spent on some of the world's most spectacular transport, energy and technology projects -- such as the new Mombasa rail station (above).

Through a program entitled Kenya Vision 2030, the government hopes to deliver a "newly industrialized, middle-income country providing a high quality of life to all its citizens by 2030."

Whether this ambitious goal will actually be achieved remains to be seen. But the following ventures certainly bear the potential to transform the landscape.

Standard Gauge Railway —

The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has been described as the most ambitious project in Kenya's independent history -- replacing the antiquated tracks left by the British regime.

Around $4 billion has been invested in 600 kilometers of raised track connecting the hub cities of Nairobi and Mombasa, but it is hoped the line will be a net contributor to the economy for years to come. The SGR should be open for business in 2017.

Voi Railway Station —

The SGR project also includes the construction of state-of-the-art new passenger stations at Nairobi, Voi, and Mombasa.

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport —

Jomo Kenyatta International -- Kenya's premier airport -- is to receive multiple upgrades.

A new greenfield terminal designed by architects Pascall + Watson will be the largest in Africa when it opens in 2017, serving 20 million passengers a year, at a cost of around $650 million.

A second runway will be inaugurated the same year.

Lamu Port —

The multi-faceted Lamu Port and Lamu-Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor (LAPSSET) project is as big as the name suggests, with an outlay of $23 billion across three countries.

The city of Lamu at the southern end of the Corridor is a cornerstone of the project. It will be transformed into a trade hub through the construction of a new 32-berth port, which will be used to supply locations along the line.

LAPSSET Pipeline —

One of the most lucrative commodities to travel the route will be crude oil, through a new pipeline that connects Kenya's oil fields in Turkana Basin with Ugandan and South Sudanese sites. A new refinery will also be constructed.

Highways —

Highways are another key component of Lapsset, with hundreds of kilometers of pristine, new road laid to facilitate transport of goods and people.

The Isiolo -- Marsabit -- Moyale stretch (above) has been completed, connecting to Ethiopia, and facilitating travel to Kenya's safari parks.

Resort cities —

The LAPSSET project will also see three resort cities constructed in Lamu, Isiolo and Lokichogio.

The new sites will be pitched at affluent visitors -- with luxury hotels, entertainment and wildlife reserves.

Konza Tech City —

The much-hyped Konza Tech City - or "Silicon Savannah" - is hoped to be a world-class hub of entrepreneurship.

The $15 billion site, set in 5,000 acres to the south of Nairobi, will accommodate almost 200,000 people, complete with universities, research facilities, and IT centers.

Konza Tech City —

Several delays have marred the project and discouraged some investors, but the government maintains the site will be operational in April 2017.

Geothermal energy —

Kenya has embraced geothermal energy in a big way, aiming to serve one-quarter of its energy needs through this source.

New ventures such as the Ol-Karia IV power plant (pictured) make it one of the world's leading producers, and investment is set to increase.

Isiolo airport —

Apart from Jomo Kenyatta, several smaller airports are undergoing major upgrades.

The provincial Isiolo airport is receiving a new terminal building and a new runway, in anticipation of higher visitor numbers.

Two Rivers Mall —

The largest mall in East Africa will open in Nairobi in March. The 62,000 square meter facility will include housing, hotels, office space and -- of course -- extravagant shopping.

Kenya's megaprojects: What can $50 billion do for a country?

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Infrastructure promises

Kenya’s national elections are scheduled for August 8, and President Kenyatta’s main competition is veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga

The Kenyan government has relied heavily on Chinese-built and Chinese-financed projects to achieve the president’s infrastructure campaign promises.

People cheer and throw confetti, after Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta flags off a cargo train for its inaugural journey to Nairobi, at the port of the coastal town of Mombasa on May 30, 2017. More than a century after a colonial railway gave birth to modern Kenya, the country is betting on a new Chinese-built route to cement its position as the gateway to East Africa. The $3.2 billion (2.8 billion euro) railway linking Nairobi with the port city of Mombasa will May 31 take its first passengers on the 472 kilometre (293 mile) journey, allowing them to skip a hair-raising drive on one of Kenya's most dangerous highways. / AFP PHOTO / TONY KARUMBA (Photo credit should read TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images)

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Last month, the president launched the Madaraka Express, the country’s largest investment since independence.

The $3.8 billion railway, financed by China’s Eximbank, travels from the port city of Mombasa to Nairobi, and is planned to cross Kenya and connect it to several other east African Countries.

The railway’s high price tag has raised eyebrows: it cost more than double per kilometer than the Chinese-built railway connecting Addis Ababa to Djibouti. Kenya Railways has attributed the extra cost to a more complicated geography.

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Odinga blamed the recent accident on the government rushing the Sigiri project for political purposes. He referred to “tenderpreneurs”, government officials that commission projects for financial gain.

“In the past, we have had substandard works done on public projects, usually roads and bridges, which as compromised the lifespan on such projects and denied us value for money,” Odinga said.