Annabel Wanyina, a single mother of two, has been making the daily commute from Mtwapa in Kilifi County to the Splendid area of Mombasa’s CBD for the past three years to manage her executive barbershop and salon. Initially, her travel time was around 45 minutes. However, with the start of construction on the Kenol-Bamburi Mtambo-Mtwapa road, her commute increased to 90 minutes. Although construction halted for nearly seven months, it has recently resumed, and her average travel time has now decreased to about an hour and 10 minutes.
These fluctuations in travel time have led her to adjust her sons’ wake-up times to ensure they get to school in Tudor on time. Annabel expresses concern over the safety risks posed by her early departures and hopes that once the construction is completed, her commute will shorten to 30 minutes.
She is among the many Kenyans who are optimistic that President William Ruto’s visit to China will lead to improvements in their daily lives. The Mtwapa-Lights road, part of the Mombasa-Malindi highway under construction, is expected to benefit from the Sh34 billion loan secured by Ruto from President Xi Jinping. This loan is intended to support the construction of rural roads that serve a large portion of Kenya’s population.
On Thursday, Ruto will join 52 other heads of state at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit. This summit aims to foster mutually beneficial agreements between China and African nations, with Kenya poised to gain significantly.
FOCAC, established in 2000, provides a platform for rapid development of infrastructure and other projects in African countries, helping to lift populations out of poverty similar to China’s past successes. The summit, held every three years, focuses on enhancing cooperation, strengthening relationships, and promoting mutual understanding between China and Africa.
For President Ruto, key projects include extending the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and developing the Rironi-Mau Summit-Eldoret-Malaba dual carriageway, which are crucial for improving transportation in Kenya and connecting the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Additionally, the dualling of the Muthaiga-Kiambu road is a priority.
Chinese involvement in various projects, such as the Integrated Transport System in Nairobi and the dualling of the Northern Bypass, is significant. Ruto has emphasized the need for China to expedite the completion of these projects.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi highlighted the success of FOCAC, noting that trade between China and Africa reached a record USD202.1 billion in 2023, with China being Africa’s largest foreign investor. He emphasized the ongoing collaboration and mutual benefits between China and Africa, which have greatly impacted global development.
Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi, along with other African foreign ministers, is working to ensure the success of the FOCAC summit and deepen cooperation with China to achieve shared development and prosperity.
