NAIROBI, KENYA — President William Ruto is scheduled to undertake a State Visit to the People’s Republic of China from April 22nd to April 26th, 2025.
The Chinese Embassy in Kenya announced on Thursday that President Ruto’s visit is at the invitation of China’s President Xi Jinping. This visit occurs against a backdrop of Kenya’s recent interest in engaging a Chinese contractor for a Ksh.190 billion Nairobi-Nakuru highway expansion project.
The initiative to transform 140 kilometers (87 miles) of single-lane road into a multilane highway was initially awarded to the French consortium Vinci SA during the administration of former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Reuters reported that the Kenyan government, through the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), stated that the agreement with the French consortium placed the risk associated with insufficient traffic demand on the government, prompting a reconsideration of the agreement’s terms.
The specific Chinese company slated to undertake the project has not yet been disclosed.
President Ruto’s upcoming trip to China marks his return to the Asian nation within months, following his participation in the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September 2024.
During the FOCAC summit, Kenya aimed to secure pivotal agreements and investments anticipated to yield long-term benefits for the nation.
At that time, President Ruto sought to engage in discussions with President Jinping regarding the strengthening of bilateral relations and the exploration of new avenues for cooperation between Kenya and China.
Additional discussions centered on the extension and completion of phases 2B and 2C of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), the dualling of the Nairobi Northern Bypass, and other strategically important infrastructure projects.
