Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed to finance the construction of Kenyan roads and railways including the rebuilding of a notorious accident black spot.
Xi made the pledge when he welcomed his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto to Beijing on Thursday, promising also to support “high-level connectivity, and sustainable trade”.
The funding he pledged will include work to rebuild the Nithi Bridge in central Kenya, a notorious death trap that has claimed hundreds of lives since its commissioning four decades ago. The plan involves the building of a viaduct that will remove the steep descents and sharp corners that make the bridge so dangerous.
Kenya is a key partner for China’s Belt and Road Initiative – a transcontinental infrastructure project – that has already helped build a rail link between Mombasa, Nairobi and the Central Rift Valley at a cost of around US$5 billion.
These projects are among 20 deals Kenya secured from China, covering infrastructure, trade, education, and the digital economy.
