Explain why the british were interested in east africa. what other countries claimed parts of east africa?

The interest of the british people for east Africa was a territorial strategy. We know this because control of East Africa would also connect the British Empire in Africa from South Africa to Egypt. Have in mind also that there was lots of gold scattered around Africa and Africans grow sugarcane and they could get to India in that way. The other countries that claimed parts of that side of Africa were Germany, Portugal, and Belgium.