This archive report was first published on 6 January 2022.
January 6, 2022, marked the start of a significant visit to Kenya by China's foreign minister Wang Yi, who is also a state councillor. The visit comes as the Kenyan government faces growing unease over its reliance on Chinese loans to develop infrastructure.
Wang Yi's visit is part of a broader African tour that includes stops in Eritrea and Comoros. The Kenyan foreign ministry has described the visit as 'historic', highlighting discussions on security, health, climate change, and green technology transfer, as well as the signing of new bilateral agreements.
Kenya is one of several African countries that have received billions of dollars in loans from China as part of President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The construction of a modern railway from the Kenyan port of Mombasa, valued at $5 billion (Sh565 billion), is a notable example of this model.
However, the BRI model has faced criticism from African critics, who argue that the rising debt levels are unsustainable. In response, China is shifting its focus from hard infrastructure loans to efforts aimed at boosting trade.
Local critics, including ruling party lawmaker Kimani Ichung'wah, have expressed concerns about the debt burden. Ichung'wah, who is backing William Ruto in the upcoming presidential election, has called for renegotiation of the loan terms, citing exorbitant interest rates.
As a major player in African diplomacy, Kenya's reliance on Chinese funding has sparked debate about its implications for the country's economic and diplomatic future.
