Kenya’s ambition to extend the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to the Malaba border and undertake various infrastructure projects hinges on a pivotal partnership with China.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen embarked on a productive three-day mission in China, engaging in substantive dialogues with China’s Minister of Transport, Deng Li, and the Foreign Affairs Vice Minister, Tan Wenhong.
In a significant development, Kenya and Uganda previously inked an agreement to extend the SGR, with China having already spearheaded the initial phase from Nairobi to Naivasha, an undertaking that incurred a hefty investment of over Ksh300 billion.
While the precise financial scope of this extended SGR endeavor remains undisclosed, it’s worth noting that Kenya’s past efforts to secure a Ksh360 billion loan from China in 2018 encountered an unexpected setback, raising questions about the project’s economic feasibility.
Shedding light on the broader context, the Transport Cabinet Secretary also emphasized that this visit carries the dual purpose of shaping the agenda for President William Ruto’s impending trip to China later in the year.
With eager anticipation, stakeholders await further insights into potential agreements, which are anticipated to surface during President Ruto’s upcoming voyage to Beijing. In tandem with this central agenda, Murkomen unveiled an ambitious vision encompassing five additional infrastructure negotiations with the Chinese, highlighting the prospect of multiple highway constructions within Kenya’s borders.
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