The Kenyan government is still fleshing out the details of how to fund, and implement its “Big 4” economic agenda.
Upon being sworn in for a second term, President Uhuru Kenyatta identified manufacturing, enhancing food security, universal health care and ensuring affordable housing for all as the key focus areas for Kenya’s economic policies.
The plan focuses on, among other things, meeting the demand for over 2 million low cost houses.
Local banks have limited access to long-term funding. The East African nation – with a population of over 40 million – has less than 25,000 mortgages.
Officials from the Kenyan and Chinese government have been exploring potential solutions to this.
For these huge plans to turn into reality, skills development and technology transfers are vital, and China has been identified as a valuable partner in this quest.
“The big four will cost quite a lot. Our expectation is that some of it will come from government some of it from the private sector and so we are in the process of strengthening our public private partnership,” the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of National Treasury and Planning Dr. Kamau Thugge said.
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa said his country would help Kenya in this development quest, and even gave examples of the immediate projects it would embark on.
“We will provide a fund to set up the China Africa teachers college of vocational education for many professions including tour machines, manufacturing and through the joint research at JKUAT and the crop molecular laboratories in Egerton university we would like to share agriculture technologies,” Ambassador Liu said.
China has over the years collaborated with Kenya on various development projects in the country.
Worth noting is the Standard Gauge Railway commissioned by President Kenyatta in May 2017.
Once again, Kenyan officials are hoping their Chinese counterparts can provide the necessary impetus and benchmark for achievement of the country’s economic aspirations.
