International Politics

[Potato]

China's belt and road initiative is, as predicted, staying to look like more of a noose and leash.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-67101736.amp

China's Belt and Road Initiative: Kenya and a railway to nowhere

The first section of Kenya's Chinese-built railway was opened with much fanfare in 2017 - but two years later work on the tracks stopped in the middle of the country and the master plan of linking it to other landlocked countries in East Africa seems to have derailed.

This means the project is not bringing as much money as was hoped at this stage, while Kenya is left servicing loans totalling around $4.7bn (£3.9bn), mainly borrowed from Chinese banks.

An admission that the government is seeking more funding may not sit well with many in the country who already reeling from tax hikes introduced by President William Ruto since he came into office a year ago.

Kenyans are concerned that debt repayments are exerting significant pressure on the country's economy. Government figures from the end of June 2022 showed that China was Kenya's third biggest external creditor - accounting for 19.4% of the country's debt.

However Uganda may decide to push its business towards Tanzania. Its railway project has cost way less to build and offers higher speeds as the line is electrified.

Former Tanzanian President John Magufuli tore up the deal that had been signed by his predecessor with China to build the railway and chose to get funding instead from Turkey and Portugal to finance the first leg of the project.

Tanzania also appears on track to connect to Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo - with China coming onboard in latter sections.

Mr Moghalu argues that, like Tanzania, countries on the continent "should be drivers of their own destiny".

"African countries need a mental repositioning and not feel like an abused spouse that they should be grateful to China because their former spouse, the West, did not treat them well."