Megaprojects are returning to play a key role in the transformation of rural Africa, despite controversies over their outcome. While some view them as promising tools for a ‘big push’ of modernization, others criticize their multiple adverse effects and risk of failure. Against this backdrop, the paper revisits earlier concepts that have explained megaproject failures by referring to problems of managerial complexity and the logics of state-led development. Taking recent examples from Kenya, the paper argues for a more differentiated approach, considering the symbolic role infrastructure megaprojects play in future-oriented development politics as objects of imagination, vision, and hope. We propose to explain the outcomes of megaprojects by focusing on the ‘politics of aspiration’, which unfold at the intersection between different actors and scales. The paper gives an overview of large infrastructure projects in Kenya and places them in the context of the country´s national development agenda ‘Vision 2030′. It identifies the relevant actors and investigates how controversial aspirations, interests and foreign influences play out on the ground. The paper concludes by describing megaproject development as future making, driven by the mobilizing power of the ‘politics of aspiration’. The analysis of megaprojects should consider not only material outcomes but also their symbolic dimension for desirable futures.

大型项目尽管在结果方面存在争议，但仍将在非洲农村的转型中发挥关键作用。尽管有些人将它们视为实现现代化“大推动”的有前途的工具，但另一些人则批评它们的多重不利影响和失败风险。在此背景下，本文回顾了早期的概念，这些概念通过提及管理复杂性问题和国家主导的发展逻辑来解释了大型项目的失败。本文以肯尼亚为例，提出了一种更加差异化的方法，考虑到大型项目在未来发展政治中扮演的象征性角色，是想象力，远见和希望的对象。我们建议通过重点关注“愿望政治”来解释大型项目的成果，在不同角色和尺度之间的交汇处展开。本文概述了肯尼亚的大型基础设施项目，并将其置于该国国家发展议程“ 2030年愿景”的背景下。它确定了相关的参与者，并调查了有争议的抱负，兴趣和外国影响如何在当地发挥作用。本文最后将大型项目的发展描述为未来的发展，这是由“志向政治”的动员力量所驱动的。大型项目的分析不仅应考虑实质性成果，而且还应考虑其对于理想期货的象征意义。它确定了相关的参与者，并调查了有争议的抱负，利益和外国影响如何在当地发挥作用。本文最后将大型项目的发展描述为未来的发展，这是由“志向政治”的动员力量所驱动的。大型项目的分析不仅应考虑实质性成果，而且还应考虑其对于理想期货的象征意义。它确定了相关的参与者，并调查了有争议的抱负，利益和外国影响如何在当地发挥作用。本文最后将大型项目的发展描述为未来的发展，这是由“志向政治”的动员力量所驱动的。大型项目的分析不仅应考虑实质性成果，而且还应考虑其对于理想期货的象征意义。