NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 13 – President Mwai Kibaki has commended the government of the People’s Republic of China for its willingness to build a hospital in the Eastland’s part of Nairobi.
The Head of State said the hospital would serve as a modern anti-malarial centre and effectively serve the densely populated eastern parts of the city.
"The hospital will go a long way in de-congesting Kenyatta National Hospital," the President said when he met the Chinese Minister for Commerce Chen Deming at his Harambee House office .
The President also thanked the government of China for providing Sh380 million shillings for the upgrading of Kakamega, Nyamira, Nyeri and Malindi Hospitals.
During the discussions President Kibaki briefed the Minister on the achievements of the grand coalition government and appreciated the support accorded to his government by China.
President Kibaki expressed the commitment of his government to rehabilitate and expand the existing infrastructure particularly the construction of new roads network.
The President especially thanked the Government of the People’s Republic of China for providing funds for the construction of several by-passes to the tune of $145 million.
The by-passes are Nairobi Southern by-pass ($56 million), Nairobi Northern ($35 million), Nairobi Eastern by-pass ($42 million), and Nairobi link roads ($15.4 million)
This is aimed at decongesting Nairobi City while at the same time promoting development of the peri-urban areas.
The government of China is also rehabilitating the JKIA-Uhuru Highway-UNEP road.
Through the Chinese Minister of Commerce President Kibaki invited Chinese companies to invest in Kenya’s Export processing Zones, noting that Kenya was the gateway to the wider East and central African region.
President Kibaki also encouraged the government of China to establish the regional offices of the China-Africa Fund (CadFund) in Nairobi. The purpose of the fund is to encourage Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in Africa.
On his part Chen hailed the consolidation and expansion of the existing cordial relations between the two countries.
He particularly praised the exchange of high level visits and growing interaction of people between the two nations as evidenced by the introduction of direct flights by Kenya Airways to major Chinese cities.
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