Kenya changes tune on China as it seeks more bilateral ties

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NAIROBI - Kenyan President William Ruto seems to have changed his anti-China campaign where he vowed to deport all Chinese, a tactic that he used while campaigning for the country’s top seat.

His anti-China was term xenophobic by some of his political opponents and especially the Chinese were afraid that Dr. Ruto being elected to the presidency will mark an era of anti-China movement in Kenya.

But once he was sworn in the president seemed to have taken a different tear on China. Just days after being sworn in, Dr. Ruto held a meeting with Liu Yuxi, China’s special representative on African affairs where he assured the Asian giant that his government will continue working with China.
“We cherish the robust friendship that Kenya enjoys with China. We will step up and expand these relations, on infrastructure, agriculture, and education, among another broad array of issues for the mutual benefit of our countries.”

The anti-China campaign saw him promise voters in the coastal town that should he form the new government he will reverse the Standard Gauge Railway line cargo sector from Naivasha to Mombasa.

Mid this year during a campaign rally Ruto was reported saying, “All Chinese nationals are nowadays roasting maize and hawking mobile phones, while Kenyans don’t have jobs, I assure you that I will deport all of them once I form the next government.”

However, that tone used to criticize the Chinese has now changed to a soft-spoken administration that is welcoming to the China government.
A thing that Prof Peter Kagwanja -Chief Executive of the Africa Policy Institute and a former government adviser on Foreign Affairs said was just a vote-hunting political strategy.

“You didn’t expect Dr. William Ruto to deport the Chinese or cut ties with the Asian giant that has helped build the country’s infrastructures like roads, ports, and new standard railway lines. All these were just part of the strategy that any smart politician will use to win the hearts of voters and it happens in any democratic society. Former US president Donald Trump promised to kick out all Mexicans in the US and the white majority of the voters voted him into office.” Comments Prof Kagwanja.

But what seems to be an eyesore to the American government who are eyeing the lucrative government tenders is a recent meeting between Kenya’s National Assembly speaker Moses Wetangula and Beijing’s ambassador to Kenya, Zhou Pingjian where the new administration affirms to enhance better bilateral trade between the two countries.

Prof Kagwanja opines that “It’s no doubt that the US and West have been blocked from accessing the government tenders since 2013 when Kibaki’s government decided to shift Kenya’s foreign policies towards East as opposed to the traditional West which has come with so many strings attached like an issue with democracy, human rights, and political interference, a thing that Chinese government has not taken into consideration when dealing with African states. Because of this the US and West were eyeing a pie of these tenders but as it stands we shall continue to see more Chinese governments and even the Russian or the entire BRICS[Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa] in Kenya.”

In what most foreign affairs experts may term an economic strategic move, National Assembly speaker Moses Wetangula met with Beijing’s ambassador to Kenya, Zhou Pingjian, where he assured him of Kenya’s continued cooperation.

“When you see the speaker of the National Assembly-Moses Wetangula meeting with a high-ranking envoy it’s a clear indication that he has the ear of the president and whatever message he is passing is actually coming from the president. We all know President Ruto had a meeting with the US president while in New York and there were some bilateral trade talk but the meeting between Wetangula is a clear indication that the Chinese will still play a bigger role in infrastructural development in Kenya and the country’s foreign policy is not changing anytime soon.”Prof Kagwanja affirms.
During the meeting between Wetangula assured the Chinese envoy that the new administration of President William Ruto has no plans whatsoever to scale down.

“I am delighted that China is also seeking to further enhance our strategic economic partnership and people-people relations. China is one of the most important national development partners for Kenya and has in the last decade extended considerable support to our infrastructure development,” he added.

China is Kenya’s biggest bilateral lender and has been responsible for major infrastructure projects, including the recently opened Nairobi Expressway and the controversial and expensive Chinese-built Standard Gauge Railway, which links the capital with the key port city of Mombasa.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta had signed deals with Beijing on infrastructure projects to develop Kenya, resulting in Kenyan debt to China in the billions of dollars.

Ruto was Kenyatta’s deputy. The two men had a falling out, and during the campaign, Ruto made a point of trying to distance himself from his boss and alleged corruption.

GAROWE ONLINE

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