After bashing China loans, Kenya’s president signals reverse course
- During his election campaign, William Ruto blamed China’s lending for his nation’s debt troubles
- But the new leader has flagged an expansion in Kenya-China relations on infrastructure, agriculture, education
Kenya’s new president, William Ruto, has signalled that the East African nation will still look to China to finance and develop its infrastructure – a U-turn from the antagonistic stance he struck during the campaign.
China is Kenya’s largest bilateral lender and has financed infrastructure projects from railways to highways. But during the presidential campaign, Chinese lending became a major political issue, with Ruto blaming those loans for Kenya’s debt troubles.
However, at a meeting with Liu Yuxi, Beijing’s special representative on African affairs, in Nairobi on Monday, Ruto said Kenya and China would “expand these relations on infrastructure, agriculture, education – among other broad arrays of issues – for the mutual benefit of our countries”.
“We cherish the robust friendship that Kenya enjoys with China,” Ruto said.
Liu responded: “I firmly believe that China-Kenya cooperation will benefit more our two countries and people … Long live the friendship and cooperation between China and Kenya.”