China is investing heavily into Kenya’s ports of Mombasa and Lamu as part of its ambitious plan to expand its global influence through trade and connectivity.
The investment is sanctioned through China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) Initiative, a programme aimed at creating “a community of common destiny” from among 63 countries around the world.
Speaking at a conference held in Beijing last week, Kenya’s ambassador to Beijing, Michael Kinyanjui, was cited by Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper as saying: “It is an important initiative that Kenya could tap into. But first, we will have to assess it, domesticate it, and hopefully make our people see its value.”
The OBOR initiative relies on the cooperation and connectivity of countries involved, and China plans to initially invest $900 billion in road, railway, port and pipeline infrastructure across the globe.
