In recent years, whenever talk of development and aid in Kenya comes up, China inevitably features.
Many commentators seem to increasingly compare China’s development performance with that of Western partners.
As sophists dance themselves lame to put China’s role and activities under the critical lens in the face of differing views projected by divergent interests, it is not difficult to point out China’s role in meeting Kenya’s development quests midway.
In fact, the evidence is all there for everyone to see.
Prior to China’s re-invigorated engagement with Kenya about a decade ago, Kenya’s traditional development partners dispensed aid with a condescending attitude that came with demeaning political conditions and strings. Today, China offers aid within the spirit of spurring faster socio-economic progress as well as uplifting the standards of living for hundreds of thousands of people, hitherto mired in want and neglect because of distorted – and sometimes discordant – development aid philosophies.
When a road built at an affordable cost facilitates easy movement of goods to the markets without stripping the people or their government the dignity they deserve, that should be praised, not castigated.
Unlike in the past, Kenyans are no longer counting white elephants.
A culture of delivering results especially in infrastructure has taken root, with China actively involved.
Yet, even for well-informed luminaries who should know better, this has not shielded Chinese aid from criticism based on historical fixations of development assistance.
China extends to Kenya, as it indeed does elsewhere in the continent, cheap and long-term socio-economic development loans that reduce the pressure when it comes to repayment.
This too, surprisingly, is viewed as an additional debt burden, notwithstanding the fact that these are resources Kenya and other African countries begged from the Bretton woods and which were almost always grudgingly granted.
A decade of engagement has helped Africa develop and grow economies from Cape to Cairo by 20 per cent.
The same feat, apparently, was impossible in all the more than 500 years of trade with the West. In fact, Kenya’s fast economic growth in recent years has been attributed to improved trade and infrastructure development with China.
China’s charm is in her ability to listen and consult on what is best for Kenya’s progress the way Kenya sees it. During his visit to China in August 2013, President Uhuru Kenyatta expressed desire for even greater cooperation.
Discussions on new areas of investment, mainly in infrastructure, energy and technology transfer led to the signing of agreements worth Sh425 billion with China.
And recently during US President Barack Obama’s visit to Kenya, Kenyatta clearly asserted that for him it is not East or West; rather, it is what will deliver Kenya’s dream as envisioned.
China understands where Kenya is and hence its willingness to extend huge amounts of money as investment at minimal interest rates compared to traditional lenders.
East or west, a successful investment ensures the country is able to pay back the loans without having to subject citizens to higher taxes and a greater tax burden.
The best thing about China is the focus on concrete programmes such as infrastructure, livelihood projects, education and healthcare, among others.
In such endeavours, the people see, feel and benefit directly.
For instance, the new Standard Gauge Railway linking the port of Mombasa and the border town of Malaba has so far employed over 25,000 Kenyans.
These young people, apart from the income they will earn, will also benefit from skills and technological know-how from their Chinese counterparts.
Besides, once completed, the Mombasa-Malaba SGR project will offload about 40 per cent of the precarious road haulage currently stressing capacity of the highway and encouraging avoidable fatalities on the road.
Meanwhile, expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the construction of Greenfield Airport will remarkably improve Kenya’s aviation capacity, and further enhance Kenya’s unique position as the transportation hub in East Africa.
Again, without the Thika Superhighway, for instance, Nakumatt Thika Road Mall (TRM), Garden City Mall, Naivas Mall among other developments would not have had a reason to come up.
Under the framework of Vision 2030, China and Kenya are working closely in many fields, and have built or are building a number of flagship projects.
It is impossible to downplay China’s contribution to Kenya’s economic and social development.
