Ambassador Wu however said that President Kenyatta and his counterpart Xi Jinping discussed the planned construction of an industrial park in Naivasha and economic zone in Mombasa/MOSES MUOKI
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 21 – Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng says that funding for the Standard Railway Gauge line to Kisumu was not part of the agenda during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s recent visit to China.
This comes amid speculation that President Kenyatta and NASA leader Raila Odinga had gone to China to seek funding to have the SGR extended to Kisumu, but didn’t succeed in securing the funds.
Ambassador Wu however said that President Kenyatta and his counterpart Xi Jinping discussed the planned construction of an industrial park in Naivasha and economic zone in Mombasa.
“I can confirm that funding for Naivasha-Kisumu SGR was not on the agenda of the two Presidents’ meeting in Beijing. The Government of Kenya is now focusing on operations of the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR to maximise its overall effects which I believe is a very smart and responsible decision,” he said.
The ambassador said that China respects the Kenya Government’s decision when to start Naivasha-Kisumu SGR line.
He further assured of China’s commitment to working closely with the Kenyan Government in undertaking more infrastructure projects based on economic viability.
“Indeed, Rome was not built in a day. China supports Kenya’s efforts to improve her infrastructural connectivity, which is key to the country’s economic development,” he told the senior editors and journalists who attended the monthly Press Club.
State House Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita had also issued a statement saying that extension of the rail network to Kisumu was not part of the President’s agenda, adding that reports that he failed to secure the funding were misleading and incorrect.
The government has since opted to rehabilitate the aging Metre Gauge Railway line linking Naivasha to Kisumu at a cost of Sh40 billion.
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