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Kenya’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister Explains Why Big Projects All Go to Chinese Contractors

by Eric Olander
File image of Kenya's Transport Minister James Macharia. Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFP

Kenya’s straight-talking Transportation and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary James Macheria (photo) bluntly explained why the government consistently awards major infrastructure projects to Chinese contractors:

For any project, we go through a very competitive process. I will give you an example; we have this road between Kenol to Marawa (In Murang’a County) which was open for competitive bidding. Lot One from Kenol to Sagana is being done at a cost of about $62 million. From Sagana to Marwa it’s being done at $53 million. The total cost is $115 million.

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