China deals - Always go one way

[Georgesoros]

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Leaving all these countries indebted to China FOREVER.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/italy-just-slammed-chinas-trillion-040817816.html

[Kadudu]

Not 100% correct. Kenya like many other African countries has benefitted from the relationship with China when it comes to infrastructure. The roads in Kenya are way better than they were 20 years ago. It is like comparing heaven to hell.

Our only problem is, we would have built the infrastructure much cheaper had there not been too much corruption. Our negotiators on the table with the Chinese had only their stomachs in sight. The terms negotiated were horrible. Best example is the SGR. On paper Kenya would have benefitted with many local industries supplying to build the SGR. In the end almost everything was imported including even cement. Our guys did not care if China kept its side of the bargain. That money spent of the SGR till Naivasha would under normal circumstances have built the railway till Malaba and an electrified railway too. Now we are stuck in no man's land in Naivasha and with diesel locomotives while Tz goes electric.

[Georgesoros]

Not 100% correct. Kenya like many other African countries has benefitted from the relationship with China when it comes to infrastructure. The roads in Kenya are way better than they were 20 years ago. It is like comparing heaven to hell.

Our only problem is, we would have built the infrastructure much cheaper had there not been too much corruption. Our negotiators on the table with the Chinese had only their stomachs in sight. The terms negotiated were horrible. Best example is the SGR. On paper Kenya would have benefitted with many local industries supplying to build the SGR. In the end almost everything was imported including even cement. Our guys did not care if China kept its side of the bargain. That money spent of the SGR till Naivasha would under normal circumstances have built the railway till Malaba and an electrified railway too. Now we are stuck in no man's land in Naivasha and with diesel locomotives while Tz goes electric.

Exactly. Most benefits will and continue to go to to China, and Kenya is given crumbs. Yes we were desperate, and in the moment we took the worst of the deals while China left with the loot. Yes we have good roads but at what cost??