Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi is in town as part of his three-day visit to Africa. Well, one may ask so, what is the big deal? Apparently, as this article will show, quite a lot.
Sino-Kenya relations did not just happen. Their strong partnership is a relationship that goes decades back to December 14, 1963, when China established diplomatic relations with the biggest economy in East Africa.
Wang’s itinerary also ropes in Eritrea and Comoros. While these two countries may seem geopolitically significant, they are testament of the fact that China is not just looking for quick gains in its cooperation but looking for a permanent and meaningful partnership.
Not to say that you can compare the two with Kenya’s geopolitical pole position both in the region and beyond. The country is one of the African countries that warmed up to the East almost three decades ago after retired President Mwai Kibaki got fed up with the hide-and-seek game played by Western donors. The progress made since China became one of the country’s leading development partners is self-evident.
Definitely, Kenya is the focus of his current visit. According to a communique from the Kenyan government, “Kenya’s Big Four programme that has left the signature legacy projects for President Uhuru Kenyatta have enjoyed significant support from China as part of the previous FOCAC programmes of cooperation between Kenya and China, and this will be reviewed during the bilateral conversations as well as with discussions with his Excellency the president.”
Wang and his host President Uhuru Kenyatta are expected to discuss a wide of both bilateral and global issues including peace and security, health, climate change and blue and green technology transfer and circular economy.
Both sides will also sign several bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding. After President Xi Jinping, Wang is the face of China. He was appointed Foreign Minister in March 2013 and a State Councillor in March 2018.
Kenya’s biggest and most ambitious project since independence, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), is the flagship of Sino-Kenya relations. Even its critics cannot deny the fact that as envisaged, the project is a game-changer in Kenya’s rail and infrastructural development.
According to a report released in November 2021 by the Kenya Railways Corporation, cargo transported on SGR increased by 24 percent in the first nine months to September the same year as business picked up following reopening of the country's economy.
The service train hauled 3.86 million tons of cargo during the period, up from 3.12 million tons in the first three quarters of 2020. This saw a jump in revenue generated during the nine months from USD 80 million dollars to about USD 89 million. The number of passengers using the SGR passenger service hit 1.37 million during the recording period, up from 422,471 in the same period in 2020.
Another iconic Chinese project, the Nairobi Expressway, is setting another infrastructural benchmark in the region and speaks volumes of China’s continuing impact on the Kenyan economy.
During a visit to assess progress on the 27.1 km road on December 23, President Uhuru noted that “our partnership with China is one that is mutually beneficial, that is based on win-win, and we are very grateful to the Chinese Government and people for the support that they continue to render not only our country but to the rest of Africa.”
In addition to creating more than 6,000 direct jobs, the expressway has benefited 200 sub-contractors and hundreds of other local suppliers of building materials such as steel, sand, cement and ballast. The eight-lane elevated dual carriageway is expected to help drivers avoid the notorious gridlock on the same stretch that currently takes about two hours to twenty minutes.
The contribution of China to Kenya’s infrastructure goes beyond the road network, placing the country among top countries which have benefited from Chinese-inspired Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Other BRI projects in the country include maritime projects like expansion of Mombasa Port and construction of Lamu Port, construction of inland container depots, berths and oil terminals, bridge projects and transport corridors. These projects have enhanced Kenya’s connectivity both within and outside the borders.
Of course, China has also played a key role in Kenya’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The country has donated hundreds of thousands of its Sinopharm vaccine doses, helping to fill in the gaps in Kenya’s ramped up vaccination drive. China has also donated ventilators, face masks, personal protective equipment and shared its invaluable knowledge about pandemic control and prevention.
The success of Sino-Kenya relations is basically as a result of the no-strings attached approach. Like in any other successful relationship, the two countries have gone with the flow, letting each side pull its weight or hold back as the situation demands.
Of course, China’s patience with its developing partner has contributed to the amiable relationship. Observers say that the best in this partnership is yet to come.
The writer is the Executive Director of South-South Dialogues, a Nairobi based research and development communication think tank.
