China expands East Africa's vital corridor

Kenya is accelerating its infrastructure development with a major highway expansion, backed by Chinese expertise and financing.

The key Mombasa-Nairobi corridor, a vital trade gateway to Uganda and other inland nations, is being transformed from a single-lane road into a modern four-to-six-lane highway.

The project is being delivered through a public-private partnership.

How does such collaboration create more efficient trade corridors across East Africa? And what does it signal about the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation?

Zhu Yaxiong, Associate Professor with Zhejiang Normal University, and Francis Mtalaki, a senior coast region reporter from Kenya share their views.

The significance
For Kenya, this road is economic transformation in concrete. 

Francis Mtalaki emphasizes its strategic weight:

"President Ruto and his administration have taken a very decisive step. This highway is key in reshaping the country's economic landscape and strengthening Kenya's position as the regional trade hub."

He notes that 40% of Kenya's trade traffic flows along this route, connecting the port of Mombasa to inland nations. Once complete, it will decongest crippling traffic, spur business along its stretch, and serve as a tangible model following the success of the Nairobi Expressway.

The PPP model

The shift to a PPP framework marks a significant evolution in China-Africa project financing. Professor Zhu Yaxiong explains the maturity this reflects:

"The public-private partnership will ease the burden of financing such a big project. This also demonstrates China's growing maturity in financing large-scale infrastructure projects."

He highlights how PPPs allocate risk efficiently: private partners bear construction and operational risks, incentivizing cost-control and quality, while the government shifts to a regulatory role.

Francis Mtalaki adds the on-ground perspective:

"It reduces the burden of the government coming to borrow loans. The responsibility now shifts."

The lessons from Kenya's first major PPP, the Nairobi Expressway, are clear: projects are completed faster, with greater public appreciation and careful management for long-term viability.

Supercharging regional trade

This highway is a linchpin for the entire East African Community. Mtalaki details the ripple effects:

"The trade between Kenya and Uganda exceeds $1 billion. This road will deliver goods in a quicker, safer way."

He connects it to the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), creating a powerful intermodal link that can move goods from Mombasa to Uganda in under 24 hours, a journey that once took days. Cities like Nakuru will see boosted tourism, real estate, and industrial growth, particularly in agro-processing and textiles.

High-quality Belt and Road cooperation

Professor Zhu frames the project within China's broader strategic goals:

"The most obvious thing here is the connectivity. China enjoys very good competence in providing quality infrastructure based on our years of experience."

He outlines a triple benefit:

1.   Spurring economic growth

2.   Fostering self-reliance through skills transfer

3.   Aligning with green, sustainable development principles and Kenya's own Vision 2030.

Francis Mtalaki observes:

"This is one of the examples that can be seen to be successful. Our expectation is that this will be another successful project."

Its success could well pave the way for a new blueprint across the continent, where connectivity drives truly sustainable and inclusive growth.