Kenya@50: …AWEsome: TV episodes scripted to educate and entertain while highlighting Kenya’s rarely celebrated engineering achievements
The Institution of Engineers of Kenya has announced plans to unveil a Television Show geared towards celebrating various engineering achievements as part of the Kenya@50 celebrations.
The first of its kind television series titled “AWEsome” highlights the engineering contributions and hallmarks that currently reflect Kenya’s heritage. The TV series will capture the construction of Kenya’s outstanding buildings, defining agricultural projects, ICT, Housing, Education, Transport and Financial technologies among other developments.
Speaking in Nairobi when he confirmed plans to unveil the new docu-drama series, The Institution of Engineers of Kenya Chairman, Engineer Julius Riungu said that engineers in Kenya had made significant milestones since independence and it is imperative to showcase them, as Kenya comprises different generations that need to appreciate their history.
Engineers in Kenya, Riungu, noted have been instrumental in the development projects cumulatively valued at more than Kshs 900billion in various economic sectors.
The ten AWEsome episodes, Eng Riungu disclosed, will cover diverse topics such as energy, water, industry, roads, communication, transport, agriculture, business & finance, housing and education.
All the episodes, he added have been carefully scripted to educate and entertain, while providing inspiration on the possibilities available to make better lives for all Kenyans.
“Kenya has celebrated engineering minds that have developed game changing solutions that are slowly but surely pushing us towards becoming a middle income economy. We have come of age to showcase our engineering developments as the world economies become more competitive and innovative. As an engineering institution, we are ecstatic to be part of Kenya@50 celebrations and we will use the TV series to showcase the developments that the engineering sector has achieved thus far,” said Engineer Riungu.
Shapers of Kenya@50- Engineering
Eng. Simon Mbugua was Kenya’s first Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport who served from 1968 to 1983. He initiated projects such as the Rural Access project and the regravelling programme.
The late Eng. Julius Mimano was the first Kenyan Mechanical Engineer and the first in East Africa. He joined Kenya Railways and emphasized on improvement of passenger services. He also wanted to use the excellent permanent way network as a viable commercial alternative to road transport thus fulfilling a service to the country of relieving road congestion and making a profit on the railways.
Professor Francis John Gichaga was the first vice chair of IEK in 1985. He has been instrumental in driving Engineering in the country through lecturing at the University of Nairobi; having lectured the likes of Eng. Michael Kamau who is currently the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and infrastructure.
Eng. A.A McCorkindale was the first civil engineer to emerge in both East and Central Africa in the 20th Century. The ninety-year old engineer played a major role in civil engineering in East Africa until his retirement in the year 1988.In the same year, Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II honored him with an OBE for services to engineering in East Africa. This made him the foremost engineer in East Africa.
Kenya’s growth through the years has been largely supported by private sector investments with distinct engineering elements, with major projects springing up in the mining, hospitality and tourism, manufacturing, transport and ICT sectors.
“I am optimistic that with sound national development blueprints such as Vision 2030, we will undoubtedly achieve our growth plans especially with the current level of government allocated resources towards improving infrastructure in counties, cities and urban centres,” said Engineer Irungu.
The 10 - episode TV series, produced in conjunction with the Institution of Engineers of Kenya and Intercontinental Publishers, explores engineering feats from over 200 locations across the country, in over 40 years of engineering. It is layered with film and photo archives to tell the story of our engineering achievements. The new docu-drama, will serve as a channel through which the country can sell its capabilities globally.
“We are telling a powerful, entertaining, and uplifting story, and we wanted it to come from the engineers,” says the show’s producer, Justus Tharao. “For entertainment purposes, we have chosen to tell this story from the perspective of the results we can see and touch in order to bring out a believable and emotional narrative that resonates with Kenyans. And just like in any other world-class documentary, AWEsome is about more than just processes and accomplishments. It is a story worth telling.”
The TV series, AWEsome; the Amazing World of Engineering, will premiere its first season with ten episodes about the impact of engineering in Kenya across everyday lives of Kenyans and how we can continue to use science and available innovations to solve our social problems.
As the saying goes, 'Everything around you has been engineered in some way,' so it applies even in Kenya. Every day, engineers work tirelessly to transform Kenya and present solutions that make our lives comfortable from the obvious engineering feats such as roads, buildings, dams, houses and other infrastructure.
We are beneficiaries of engineering solutions sometimes customized for local use every time we do simple everyday things such as; making a phone call, travelling, sleeping, working, eating, drinking and even what we wear.
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