Tag Archives: Kenya

Smartphone maker Xiaomi is set to open its first Nairobi office this year amid a plan to counter the dominance of Chinese rivals including Transsion Holdings, the manufacturer of the popular Tecno, Infinix and Itel brands. The move comes as Xiaomi sets up an Africa department that focuses on markets …

The Chinese government on Thursday officially handed over a modern international culture and language centre worth over Sh1.09 billion to the Kenyatta University. The building hosting a Confucius Institute, an Africa Education Institute, an International Languages Centre and a culture centre will be used towards promotion of local, African and …

Kenya has been serious to improve its economy through international trade and investment. In the local community, the country also tries to boost entrepreneurship and innovations by the use of technology. In terms of strengthening job competitiveness and relationship with China, Kenya is planning to teach Mandarin Chinese to elementary …

China is likely to boost imports from African countries as it seeks new sources of commodities in the wake of a trade war with the United States, a senior executive of in China said. Trade links between the Asian economic powerhouse and African nations like Kenya have been growing robustly …

If not for the arrival of Chinese scientists, Meshack Mutevu would still be living in a house with a metal roof and mud walls like his forefathers, subsisting on a few mango trees and raising goats. The life of the 44-year-old Kenyan began to change when scientists from the Sino-Africa …

China has created close to 30,000 jobs in Africa over the last two years, more than any other country in the world, an expert said on Friday. “China ranks the 7th in terms of project numbers in Africa, but it created the most jobs, which is unexpected by many people,” …

 The Chairman of the Commission for University Education Chacha Nyaigotti-Chacha says Kenya stands to benefit immensely from continued exchange programmes with foreign countries. Speaking at the Chinese Embassy during a farewell reception for more than 150 Kenyans departing to China, Chacha on Thursday said the benefits could shape the country’s …

The Chinese-built railway linking Kenya’s capital of Nairobi and the port city of Mombasa was officially launched on Wednesday, accelerating the country’s steps on the path toward industrialization and modernization. As Kenya’s first new railway in a century and the largest infrastructure project since its independence, the Standard Gauge Railway …

The upgrading of Nairobi’s Outer Ring Road into a dual carriageway by China’s Sinohydro Corporation is set to revolutionize urban transport and unleash new economic benefits in densely populated sections of the Kenyan capital, an official said on Friday. Silas Kinoti, the Acting Director General of Kenya Urban Roads Authority …

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday commissioned the 420 million U.S. dollars Isiolo-Moyale road in northern region which connects Kenya to Ethiopia. The Isiolo-Moyale road is the Kenyan section of the Trans-Africa Highway Corridor, which was upgraded to bitumen standards by the government with support of the African Development Bank …

A total of 35 Kenyan students are to receive full scholarships to study in China, fully sponsored by China Road and Bridge Corp. China Communications Construction Co, its China Road and Bridge Corp arm and Beijing Jiaotong University signed the training program agreement on March 9, as part of the …

The year 2016 marked a turning point in the China-Africa relations amid unsettled changes in the global economic and political order. China increased its deployment of combat troops to the continent and more than 2000 peacekeepers were deployed to South Sudan due to political turmoil at the Sub-Saharan based country. …

China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) has signed a contract to build the section of the MoKaKi railway between the Kenyan border and Kampala, which will require a $2.3bn investment. MoKaKi is the new name for the standard gauge railway (SGR) that is expected to run from Mombasa, through Nairobi, to …

Africa is becoming an increasingly popular holiday destination among adventure-seeking Chinese tourists. The numbers of visitors who went to Africa in 2016 was up sharply due to looser visa restrictions and new direct flights between China and Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa among other popular destinations. Chinese arrivals in South …

China Roads and Bridge Corporation employees working on the Standard Gauge Railway project in Kenya were treated to performances by Confucius Institute students for the Lantern Festival. During the event, students and teachers from the Confucius Institute of the University of Nairobi performed a variety of Chinese songs and dances, …

Young Wilston Shivachi is an enthusiastic user of smartphones. Like many people, the logistics consultant could not get through the day without his handset. He relies on the device to shoot selfies, stream videos on YouTube and check emails when he is out of the office. The only thing that …

A Kenyan government official on Tuesday appreciated China’s effort in protecting wild life, saying China’s trade ban on ivory will bring positive effects on elephant protection in East Africa. Judi Wakhungu, cabinet secretary of Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, told Xinhua on the sidelines of the 60th anniversary event …

The flourishing bilateral relationship between China and African countries is based on pursuit of ideals that advance shared prosperity, says Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa. “Joint shouldering of responsibility and promotion of growth is in line with the cooperation trends and the direction between China and other developing countries, …

China-Africa cooperation is contributing to visible development in Africa on a win-win base, Kenya’s foreign minster Amina Mohamed said on Thursday. In an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the AU summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Amina said with the cooperation, Africa has been able to address many left-behind …

The northern corridor link, known as 2A, will be constructed by China Road and Bridges Corp, following commissioning of the project by the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on October 19. Work is set to start this year on the challenging second phase of Kenya’s standard gauge railway network development. The …

Tipping Points Technology Limited, an information and communications technology company based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, East China, is bringing new opportunities for Kenya’s performing artists through its live streaming app Live-Baze. The artists are able to display their talent, earn money and fame, and receive virtual gifts from fans. Launched …

For years, China has been pumping billions of dollars across the African continent to build large-scale infrastructure projects and grant cheap loans in exchange for access to the continent’s natural resources and growing markets. And lately, along with its economic and political engagements, Beijing has also been making significant strides …

While Chinese companies have made massive investments in various industries in the African market – such as construction, telecommunications and electrical power – there is minimal investment in lucrative pharmaceuticals. But the prospect of Chinese companies making inroads in the market are high. TR Medical Instruments Co and Wego are recent …

Chinese tourism to Africa represents a great potential with South Africa leading the chart as the favourite tourism destination in the continent. The Rise of Africa news website reported in 2015 that South Africa leads the graphic of 10 countries in Africa that are most successful in attracting Chinese tourists …

Three months after the opening of Kenya’s first transformer manufacturing plant, Dylan Yu, managing director of Yocean Group Limited, has an even more ambitious plan – to diversify products to better serve the country’s power industry. Yocean has already come to an agreement with its manufacturing partners in China’s Jiangsu …

As China and Africa enjoy the fruits of globalization, the United States and Western Europe citizens are scoffing at the movement their governments once championed as a magic bullet to advance development. BACKLASH IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES Donald Trump, who won the American election partly with the help of surging trade …

Six locomotives that arrived at the port of Mombasa from China on Monday are expected to be received by the government of Kenya this morning. Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development James Macharia is expected to receive the cargo on behalf of the government during a ceremony …

A team of Chinese doctors on Saturday conducted a medical camp for the disadvantaged orphans in Huruma Children’s Home, about 28 kilometres southwest of the Kenyan capital Nairobi. Professor Tian Shengxun told Xinhua that the camp targeted over 200 orphans who can not access quality medical services. “Our aim is …

Kenya Airways said Thursday it had signed a codeshare agreement with Hong Kong Airlines to help improve connectivity and access in Asia. The agreement on the Bangkok-Hong Kong route will see Hong Kong Airlines load Kenya Airways flight code on the Asian carriers’ seven daily flights. “This will allow Kenya …

Since the 1970s, poaching has been a major threat to the survival of elephants in Kenya with some critics in recent years blaming the Chinese market for fueling the demand. Now, a new era has begun as the Chinese government announced on December 30 plans of proscribing processing and sale …

The diversity in the cultures around the world is also a result of the mindsets of people inhabiting different regions of the world. Every country has its own traditions and cultures but of all the countries in the world, many have their own ways of practicing their cultural activities. Culture …

China’s latest ban on processing and sale of ivory products marked a historic milestone in efforts to save African elephants from poaching, Kenyan wildlife officials said on Tuesday. Richard Leakey, chairman of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), hailed the Chinese government’s decision, saying it will revitalize global action on illegal …

The Eighth edition of Chinese products’ trade fair in Benin for the West Africa region on Monday opened in the economic capital Cotonou. The 2016 edition brings together economic operators from West African countries, from Congo and Gabon in Central Africa as well as from Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Egypt …

The Belt and Road initiative envisioned by Chinese leaders to revive ancient trading routes will unleash prosperity in Africa while refashioning the global order, Kenyan experts said. China in 2013 announced its support for large-scale infrastructure projects such as roads, railways and seaports to help revive ancient maritime and land-based …

Four modular container clinics donated by the Chinese government will be used to provide healthcare in remote parts of Kenya. The donation made possible by the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology in the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is valued at 2.75 million yuan ($400, 000) to the Kenyan government. At …

“The meteorological facilities aided by China are not only high quality but also very useful,” said Dr. Amos Makarau, Director of the Meteorological Services Department of Zimbabwe, on November 25, when he was interviewed by China Meteorological News Press during the sixteenth session of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Commission …

In a densely planted campus with buildings painted joyful yellow in the east of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, there is a railway training institute sponsored by a large Chinese infrastructure construction company — China Road and Bridge Corporation. China Road and Bridge Corporation, which has been building a 471 …

Chinese media company StarTimes on Wednesday launched a satellite digital television project in Kenya as part of its long-term agenda to bridge rural-urban information gap in the East African nation. According to StarTimes, the southwestern Kenyan county of Kajiado will pilot the project that has given over 120 households in …

Pan-African digital payments startup BitPesa has expanded its payment automation services in order to deliver faster, more cost-effective transactions between Africa and China. China-Africa trade increased to more than US$170 billion in 2013, according to the World Bank, but the cost of sending payments from Africa to China remains high, …

A joint reporting activity that involves major media outlets of China and Africa has been launched. Reporters will visit Chinese-funded enterpriese and research institutes in Tanzania and Kenya to find out how much progress has been made in China-Africa cooperation. Sun Zhijun, with the publicity department of the Communist Party …

More than 40 journalists from China and Africa are visiting Chinese companies in Tanzania and Kenya. The tour, dubbed as ‘Chinese Enterprises in Africa’, kicks off in Tanzania’s commercial capital Dar es Salaam. Wang Tongxuan has more. The interview event includes more than 40 reporters from China and Africa. China’s …

The Eighth edition of Chinese products’ trade fair in Benin for the West Africa region on Monday opened in the economic capital Cotonou. The 2016 edition brings together economic operators from West African countries, from Congo and Gabon in Central Africa as well as from Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Egypt …

A joint interview event named Chinese Enterprises in Africa is launched in Tanzania’s commercial capital Dar es Salaam on Monday, in a bid to shed light on the fruitful achievements in China-Africa cooperation. Organized by China’s State Council Information Office, the event will include more than 40 reporters from China …

China plans to train at least 500 aviation personnel from Africa annually as part of efforts to boost the continent’s fast-growing aviation sector. Shu Limei, the commercial councilor for Asia and Africa in Guangdong Province made the pledge at the China-Africa Aviation Forum held in China’s Zhuhai City. “We will …

Lake Poyang and Lake Victoria, the largest freshwater lakes in China and Africa, respectively, are to witness closer cooperation in ecological protection and development, Chinese researchers have said. Chen Kui, a lake ecology expert with the Jiangxi provincial committee for mountain, rivers and lakes development and protection, said that Chinese …

In Nairobi, Chinese martial arts is taking center stage as the first ever kung fu festival opens. The event was organized to create awareness about the sport in Kenya. Hundreds of people came to watch, as 10 kung fu masters from Beijing showed their moves. The first kung fu festival …

a Chinese expert who introduced the first green house for tomato planting into Kenya in 1997, checks experimental stevia planted at Egerton University in Nakuru, Kenya, Oct. 13, 2016. As the Sino-African relations are getting stronger in recent years, more and more Chinese people and companies invest in African countries …

The Kenyan ministry of energy on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a Chinese firm to pave way for the construction of a 50 Megawatt solar plant in northeast Kenya’s Garissa County. Cabinet Secretary for energy and petroleum Charles Keter said during the signing ceremony that the largest …

Photo taken on Sept. 26, 2016 shows a view of the Sino-Africa Joint Research Center at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Nairobi, Kenya. The state-of-the-art facility funded by the Chinese government to promote collaborative research with African countries in the field of agriculture and biodiversity conservation …

The China-Africa Development Fund said on Thursday that it was poised to strengthen its investment efforts in the East Africa Community region with the establishment of its representative office in Nairobi, Kenya. The office, based in Nairobi, is the fifth in Africa after others in South Africa, Ethiopia, Zambia and …

Kenya has created a friendly policy and environment to attract Chinese investment in the agro-chemicals market, a senior official said on Tuesday. Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Willy Bett, said the next phase of Sino-Kenya agricultural cooperation will focus on development of a robust fertilizer and pesticide manufacturing …

The Chinese firm responsible for building the first Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in East Africa plans to design and build an engineering school worth $10 million in Kenya. The school jointly funded by China Communications and Construction Company and its subsidiary China Road and Bridge Corporation will be a real …

The ninth China – Africa Youth Exchange program kicked off in Kenya on the 10th August 2016. This year’s event saw a turning tide in the attendance. Approximately 50 college and university students attended with their lectures from China and Kenya, The event was held in Nairobi.   One of …

Results of the last year’s Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) have been implemented, with early-phase achievements made, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said. Wang made the remarks at the Coordinators’ Meeting of the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the FOCAC Johannesburg Summit in Beijing. …

China is sending its special envoy for Africa to the continent to help with efforts to resolve the political crisis in South Sudan, China’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Veteran diplomat Zhong Jianhua would visit Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya, the ministry said. Zhong would meet “relevant parties” and discuss how …

Kenya’s economy will grow at 6 percent in 2016 and 6.4 percent in 2017 buoyed by renewed interest in newly discovered oil and gas, investments in a Chinese-funded high-speed railway and improved security boosting tourism, the African Development Bank said. AfDB Regional Representative Gabriel Negatu said economy was expected to …

A China construction firm which is building a standard gauge rail in Kenya has launched its first Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report. Its voluntary activities lauded by the Kenyan government and locals. Attending the launching ceremony held in the capital Nairobi on Thursday, Principal Secretary of Transport, Irungu Nyakera, said …

The Chinese-built road tarmacking of the 130km Turbi-Moyale road by a Chinese firm, which connects Kenya and Ethiopia, is poised to unlock economic opportunities in Kenya’s northern county of Marsabit, and the country as a whole. “The road has become a purveyor of opportunity and widened possibilities for the region that …

Leading Chinese artists who included opera singers, acrobats, dancers and instrumentalists on Sunday entertained a mammoth crowd in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Liu Xianfa and senior Kenyan officials graced the concert where traditional and classical music from the Asian giant enlivened the audience who filled an …

Chinese pharmaceutical firms are looking to set up base in Africa, particularly in Kenya because of its market. Kenya has become a favorite destination for Chinese drug manufacturers thanks to a conducive investment climate and rising purchasing power among citizens. During an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the …

Youth employment will be boosted A Sino-Africa think tank is planning to boost the youth employment of Africa by increasing their skills in the construction sector. Adedana Ashebir with the Sino-Africa Centre of Excellence (SACE) Foundation told Xinhua in Nairobi that they will roll out a project to strengthen the …

KENYA is studying rules and conditions for joining China led lender Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as she looks to widen infrastructure financing space in a bid to narrow the yawning gap. Enrolling into the China led lender Asia-focused AIIB is however not an immediate plan, Treasury CS Henry Rotich said, citing …

Chinese Spring Festival brought a parts of Kenya to a stand still at the Chinese New Year celebrations. Loise Ngugi’s courageous spirit and agility was evident as she strode to a raised podium to belt out a Chinese contemporary song that electrified a sizeable crowd gathered at a university gymnasium …

Chinese tourists trooped to Kenya’s Lake Nakuru National Park during the Christmas and New Year festivities to enjoy the diverse view of the magnificent scenery characterized by endangered wildlife and various bird species. The park’s senior warden Dickson Ritan said more than 60 percent of the foreign tourists who visited …

A 250 km travel during Christmas holidays to his home village on poor roads used to be a headache for James Muriuki, who works in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. Thanks to the Thika Superhighway completed by Chinese three years ago, travels have become much more comfortable. The 50 km road …

As 2015 ends, Kenya has a basket full of expectations in the coming year from the Chinese, who have touched their lives in different sectors. From infrastructure to technology, Kenyans expect the Chinese to continue investing in the country, and even do more projects than they did in 2015. Bernard …

Senior Kenyan officials from the ministries of health and education are the latest beneficiaries of a HIV/Aids management training program sponsored by China’s Ministry of Commerce. Lee Njagi, an official in the ministry of health and his counterpart from the ministry of education, Margaret Mwirigi, joined their counterparts from other …

A Chinese investor has recently donated much-needed food to the Huruma Children’s home located in Ngong on the outskirts of Kenya’s capital city Nairobi. The Chinese entrepreneur, Tai Sujun, has been donating to the Huruma Children’s Home for the past ten years as part of efforts to give back to …

The Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway is the first new railway being constructed in Kenya in a hundred years. It aims not only to improve Kenya’s infrastructure, but also to connect the entire East African region.  

Chinese firms are ready to assist Kenya to develop its huge geothermal resources, a Chinese official said on Monday. Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa told an investment conference in Nairobi that Chinese firms have the expertise required to tap into the renewable energy source. “Chinese companies are well prepared …

Kenya is the world’s largest exporter of black tea, but various restrictions prevent greater profit gains from tea. Manufacturers are now turning to support from Chinese companies to add more value and focus on products that can fetch higher prices in the international market. Kenya is known for its black …

NAIROBI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) — China is contributing immensely in the alleviation of employment in Kenya, a senior Kenyan government official has said. The Deputy Director in the Ministry of Education Science and Technology Meshck Opwora said China’s commitment to Kenya through its enterprises is vastly contributing to employment creation …