← The China in Africa Podcast
What a Railway in Kenya Reveals About How China Builds Things in Africa artwork

What a Railway in Kenya Reveals About How China Builds Things in Africa

The China in Africa Podcast
51:35
Play episode

Show notes

The Kenyan government's controversial decision to end certain subsidies and raise taxes sparked days of violent protests in Nairobi. While the move sparked a massive backlash, President William Ruto nonetheless clearly felt he had no other choice if he wanted to avoid defaulting on the country's ballooning national debt. A sizable portion of that debt, around 10%, is owed to Chinese creditors for the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), Kenya's largest-ever infrastructure project. Now, a series of documentaries and research initiatives are revealing the complex politics behind this massive infrastructure and that Kenyan stakeholders had much more agency in the negotiations with China than many presumed. Soundbites to African Uncensored - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8SSOIb3zzK8e9e9rLPEe-UQxv_IZep_K JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Twitter: @ChinaGSProject| @stadenesque | @eric_olander |@huangzhengli | @gediminasle Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth FOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine عربي: www.akhbaralsin-africia.com | @AkhbarAlSinAfr JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaafricaproject See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More from this show

More
  1. Why Africa Matters to China

    China is deepening its engagement with Africa as geopolitical competition intensifies, with President Xi Jinping meeting the leaders of Botswana and Togo in Beijing. The visits hig…

    S16 E4201:01:40
  2. China, Africa and the Fight Against Telecom Fraud

    China-Africa security cooperation is expanding beyond military ties into cross-border law enforcement, as Chinese-linked telecom fraud operations spread across Africa. Joint invest…

    S16 E4157:30
  3. Hidden Uranium in DRC Cobalt Exports to China: Is It a Problem?

    The DRC's cobalt industry is also moving uranium through global supply chains, creating a problem that extends beyond critical-minerals security. Researchers estimate that 2,000–5,…

    S16 E4041:45
  4. China, Taiwan and the Somaliland Question

    China's engagement across Africa is increasingly shaped by both high-level geopolitics and competition in everyday markets. Somalia's renewed ties with Beijing are being driven in…

    S16 E3942:48
  5. Kenyan President Orders Crackdown on Foreigners in Small Businesses, Including Chinese

    Kenya's crackdown on foreigners operating small businesses has put Chinese traders at the center of a wider debate over competition, immigration, and economic opportunity. Presiden…

    S16 E3858:45
  6. Is China Decolonizing African Media or Expanding Its Influence?

    China's influence in Africa's media landscape increasingly operates through content-sharing agreements, journalist training, paid placements, and support for local broadcasters. Th…

    S16 E3754:28
Now Playing
What a Railway in Kenya Reveals About How China Builds Things in Africa — The China in Africa Podcast | Podcast | Josplay Music