PICTURES! Smiling Raila Meets Chinese Ambassador Hours After sealing SGR Deal

Photo: AU Representative Raila Odinga and China’s ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng in Capital Hill office/ Photo Courtesy Twitter

The AU Representative Raila Odinga has today hosted the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng at his Capitol Hill Square Office.

The Barometer of Kenyan Politics, Raila agreed to meet Ambassador Wu Peng with the core objective of strengthening ties between Kenya and China.

The long detailed meeting was basically focused on trade and infrastructure development in Africa.

“Raila Odinga today held discussions with the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng at his Capitol Hill Square Office. The two discussed trade and infrastructure development in Africa and ways of strengthening ties between Kenya and China,”ODM Party tweeted.

This comes after The Chinese government agreed to fund the Naivasha-Kisumu SGR Project.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Dr James Macharia confirmed the project is still ongoing despite the government rehabilitating the meter gauge Railway.

CS Macharia said that China is in its final stages in releasing the funds for the construction of the project although he did not give a time frame on when the project will hit its completion.

“Kenya is the entry gate of the SGR, which runs from Lamu-Mombasa-Naivasha-Kisumu-Lake Victoria all the way to the Atlantic Ocean in West Africa. However, Kenya cannot develop it on its own because it will not be viable due to the fact that 30 percent of cargo from Mombasa is on transit, of which 85 percent goes to Uganda. There is need to harmonise the SGR with what countries in the region are doing,” said Mr Macharia.

“On the future of the SGR and its status, Kenyans need to know that Phase 2A is 98 percent complete and will be operationalised in September. Eventually, the SGR will reach Kisumu and finally Malaba, only timing has changed,” he said.

 

 

 

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