NAIROBI, Oct 9 (NNN-KBC) — High-ranking officials in President William Ruto’s government have confirmed that there will be no policy shift as far as Kenya’s relations with China is concerned.
In fact, they said the two countries will explore more avenues to collaborate, describing China as one of the most important national development partners for Kenya.
This week, Senate speaker Amason Kingi, elected to the position through Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza-led coalition, reiterated that Kenya and her people have benefited immensely through collaboration with China.
“Our country has continued to work with China on the socio-economic front, resulting in countless programmes and development projects that have improved the welfare of Kenyans,” Kingi said during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Zhou Pingjian.
He said Kenya and China have been working together to implement “countless programmes & development projects” that have transformed the economic fortunes of millions of people. He cited the East Asian country’s vast consumer market which he argues has proved to be a viable market for a number of Kenyan exports, especially agricultural produce.
His sentiments further confirm that the current government has no intentions to review the existing partnership with Beijing with a view to making cutbacks.
“Kenya’s ties with China dates back many centuries, beginning with the days seafarers from the Asian nation made contact with the East African coast, gradually paving the way for present-day formal diplomatic relations,” the senate speaker said
Kingi’s sentiments came days after his National Assembly counterpart Moses Wetangula made similar remarks, and dispelled fears that President William Ruto’s administration might roll back ties with the People’s Republic of China.
“I assured the Ambassador that the new administration of President William Ruto has no plans whatsoever to scale down our collaboration with the People’s Republic of China,” he said
Wetangula acknowledged with appreciation that the Chinese government has over the years been extending important support to Kenya, most notably in the area of infrastructure development.
He even encouraged the Chinese top diplomat in Nairobi to continually seek to further enhance the strategic economic partnership, as well as the people-people relations between China and Kenya.
Prior to the two meetings with Speakers of Kenya’s parliament, Ruto’s party United Democratic Alliance dispatched top party officials to a meeting with the Chinese envoy. In the meeting with Ambassador Zhou, UDA’s Secretary General Veronicah Maina vowed to ensure, that at the political party level, the two countries will exchange ideas that are mutually beneficial.
As far as Kenya-China relations are concerned, it is clear that all the leaders in the new administration are reading from the same script and are eager to deepen the ties binding Beijing and Nairobi.
It will also be remembered that soon after his election as President, Ruto had the occasion to meet the Special Representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs Liu Yuxi in Nairobi where he reiterated Kenya’s commitment to partnership with China.
“We cherish the robust friendship that Kenya enjoys with China. We will step up and expand these relations on infrastructure, agriculture, education, among other broad array of issues for the mutual benefit of our countries,” said the President. — NNN-KBC
