Chinese contractors have been on an inexorable rise in Kenya ever since the expansion of Thika Superhighway about two decades ago. This includes the likes of China Wu Yi (Kenya) Corporation, Sheng Li Construction Company, and Sinohydro Company.
The Thika Superhighway project, which began in 2009 and cost Kes27 billion, was utilized by Chinese contractors as a platform to demonstrate their capabilities. As part of the Kenya-China mega project, a 50,4 km multi-lane highway was completed in a record amount of time.
They became prominent while previously dominant Kenyan construction firms like SS Mehta, Kirinyaga Construction, and Put Sarajevo faded into the background.
Considering Kenya’s status as the EAC’s largest economy and a regional transport and technological hub, it’s not surprising that China has been keen to invest there. Kenya, as an early adopter of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has seen an influx of Chinese contractors who have established a firm foothold in the country, bringing with them cutting-edge experience, technology, and equipment. To achieve mutually beneficial results, Chinese contractors have collaborated closely with their local counterparts, including county governments.
Building a petroleum depot
Several Chinese companies have been involved in major roads in Kenya, including the Thika Superhighway, the Kipevu Oil Terminal (KOT), the Kipsigak-Serem-Shamakhokho road in the Rift Valley, the Nyamasaria Interchange in Kisumu, and the Gambogi-Serem road in Western Kenya.
Embu County, Kenya, and the Chinese engineering firm Shanxi Dikuang signed a Kes25.5 billion investment agreement in 2019. They built a complex that showcases agricultural products, processes value-added goods, and explores and processes mineral resources. In addition, they established a waste treatment plant and provided lodgings for visitors to Mwea Game Reserve.
Kenya’s energy sector has also benefited greatly from China’s involvement. The nation now has a cutting-edge offshore oil facility at Mombasa port thanks to China Communications Construction Company’s work on the Kipevu Oil Terminal (KOT). This terminal improves the port’s ability to transport energy, which in turn helps to fuel the economy of Kenya and the surrounding area.
Enhanced road drainage systems
The Chinese construction firm POWERCHINA was awarded the contract to improve rural roads in West Pokot County. The entire length of the project is 44 kilometers. The work mostly involved upgrading and constructing roads, culverts, and drainage systems. The plan called for this to alleviate traffic congestion and spur economic growth in the area.
Chinese construction firms have also been active in Kenya’s devolved units, such as building the Nairobi Western bypass expressway that links Kikuyu town with Ruaka in neighboring Kiambu County. In February of 2019, China Road and Bridge Corporation began building the bypass. This followed an agreement between a Chinese construction company and the Kiambu county government, with finance coming from the Chinese government’s Exim Bank.
The Chinese government is also a driving force in Kilifi County’s booming economy. To commemorate the arrival of one of China’s pioneer sailors, Zheng He, who arrived at the coastal village of Kilifi more than 600 years ago, the county has welcomed Chinese proposals to construct a Park and industrial Museum there.Culture and tourism are expected to benefit from the park and museum.
Chinese Overseas Engineering Group Company (COVEC) constructed the Nyamasaria interchange in Kisumu and the road connecting the lakeside town to Kakamega County in western Kenya. Jiangxi Zhongmei Engineering Construction Company has rebuilt certain areas, drastically altering the look of the city’s commercial hubs.Merchants, operators of public buses, and drivers of motorcycle taxis will gain the most from this infrastructure improvement.
Budalang’i inhabitants have benefited greatly from COVEC’s construction of the Sigiri bridge in neighboring Busia County, which is a few kilometers away. After crossing the treacherous River Nzoia in boats, traveling between northern and southern Bunyala is now more safer thanks to the construction of the Sigiri Bridge. Bunyala South and Bunyala North are now one and the same location, however they used to be two different places.
The rise of Kenya’s economy has been greatly aided by China. This is evident in the lower costs associated with various modes of transportation as compared to the past.
by: FlightNews