2016-06-22

How did one of Africa's biggest investment companies spend the money they collected from international developments banks for the refurbishment of the Rift Valley Railway?

The Rift Valley Railway, a roughly 2000-kilometer-long train track meandering through Kenya and Uganda. The railway is one of the most important infrastructure projects in East Africa, crucial support for the growth spurt the region has undergone the past decennium.

After having been neglected for years, construction on the railway was reinstated by Qalaa Holdings, one of biggest investment companies in Africa, after it had managed to collect 287 million dollars. Half of that money comes from international development banks like the Belgian BIO.

Five years after the start of the plans, Patrick Mayoyo (Kenya), George Turner (UK) and Berber Verpoest (Belgium) investigate how exactly Qalaa spent the Rift Valley Railway development funds, an investigation that leads them to several tax havens.

Team members

Berber Verpoest

Berber Verpoest (1983) is a Belgian freelance (video) journalist from Belgium.

Patrick Mayoyo

Patrick Mayoyo is the founder and Editorial Director of www.dailyreporter.co.ke

George Turner

George Turner is an investigative journalist and investigations director of Finance Uncovered (UK).

Supported
Grant of €3.500, allocated on 12/02/2016
ID
FCC/2016/004

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  • World Bank looks into case of ‘embezzlement’ at RVR - Observer (Uganda), 22 June 2016

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