Chinese Railway Megaproject, Domestic Politics and Anti-Chinese Populism in Kenya: A New Dynamics in the Look East and Look West Paradigms

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) advances China’s economic foreign policy for building transport infrastructure and trade across Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa. Since its launch in 2013, Kenya, like other African countries, has enjoyed BRI infrastructure financing in the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). As a megaproject, it attracted a range of stakeholders, hence the politicisation of issues such as lack of transparency in contract agreements, sustainability and debt. Subsequently, the rising debt distress in Kenya coupled with the post-COVID-19 economic crisis generated public discontent about the SGR. The manifestation of populist anti-Chinese rhetoric during the 2022 general election revealed the intersection between domestic politics and the Chinese megaproject. The ruling party and the opposition traded blame and counter-blame on the Chinese railway. The United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the opposition party led by Samuel Ruto, pledged to deport Chinese traders, reverse some of the policies related to railway management and renegotiate the terms. The UDA won the election and within weeks of being sworn in, it reversed the policy of compulsory freighting of all cargo through the SGR and released the railway contract between the Kenyan and Chinese government, which was seen as targeted at the Chinese government allied to the candidate of the ruling party, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Odinga accused America and Britain of meddling in the election in favour of President Samuel Ruto. Behind the scenes, the proxy hegemonic struggle between the East and West played out during the elections. This chapter examines the rise of anti-Chinese populism in Kenya and the dynamics of the West-East struggle for sphere of influence in Kenya. It also examines how populist politics shape the narrative of the Chinese megaproject in Kenya. This study aims to highlight the significance of domestic politics and the Chinese megaproject as important discourses in the political economy of Africa.