Kenya’s Longshot Request for Chinese Financial Assistance and Debt Relief

Kenyan President William Ruto wants China to provide financing to finish stalled construction projects. Simon Mania/AFP

Kenyan President William Ruto is preparing to make a longshot billion-dollar request for badly-needed financial assistance in a bid to bolster his country’s ailing economy. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said Ruto will submit the request in person when he travels to Beijing later this month. Although he didn’t specify when the President plans to travel to China, it’s quite likely that it will be around the Belt and Road Forum that gets underway on October 16th. Gachagua said the president’s request would be divided into categories:

ROAD CONSTRUCTION: The President is going to ask for one billion dollars of new loans that will be used to pay road contractors to complete stalled construction projects. 

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