President Ruto’s promise after meeting China’s special representative

President William Ruto meets with China’s special representative on African affairs Liu Yuxi a day after Ruto’s inauguration.

The two countries have agreed to boost relationship with the new President describing it as ‘robust’.

Ruto noted that his administration would seek to expand those relations to boost the country’s infrastructure as well as education among other sectors.

“(Kenya and China would) expand these relations on infrastructure, agriculture, education – among other broad arrays of issues – for the mutual benefit of our countries.

“We cherish the robust friendship that Kenya enjoys with China,” Ruto stated as per the meeting as per South China Morning Post, a Chinese media outlet.

Yuxi was in the country with a delegation invited to attend Ruto’s swearing in ceremony held on Tuesday, September 12, at the Kasarani stadium.

In his meeting with the Head of State, the special representative on African affairs noted that the relationship was aimed at enhancing friendship between the two countries.

“I firmly believe that China-Kenya cooperation will benefit more our two countries and people … Long live the friendship and cooperation between China and Kenya,” stated Yuxi.

Ruto’s latest assurance is a departure from the hardline stance his allies took against Chinese loans offered to his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime.

In early June in the run up to the polls, Garissa Township MP Aden Duale warned the Chinese government that it will be held to account over what they termed as bad loan deals shrouded in graft.

Duale and other allies also castigated the current government for excessive borrowing from foreign governments, noting that it created a loophole for corruption-related cases.

“We know the owners of the newly constructed Nairobi Expressway. We are telling the Chinese government that we will hold you and your companies to account.

“Any government that gives loans and debts in the next two months, you are violating the constitution,” Duale, a close ally of Ruto stated at the time.

Kenya’s ballooning debt has been a cause for concern, with its spiral effect leading to high cost of living.

According to the Treasury report, China’s total debt to Kenya is at Ksh800 billion in March, 2022. This is, however, the lowest since 2020 whereby the debt stood at Ksh787 billion.