The Nairobi-Mombasa Railway opened in May 2017. At the time, the railway project – which was financed by China – was Kenya’s largest infrastructure project. The 440 kilometer line brought some immediate benefits. It provided President Uhuru Kenyatta with a major achievement as he prepared for his successful presidential campaign for reelection. It cut travel time across the country in half. And it made goods less costly to ship.

However, by last August, administrative issues became a problem. People were having difficulties buying tickets online and on the day of travel. Some people are concerned that the project was completed too quickly. İn time, these problems eased, but other issues received attention.

The China-Africa Research Initiative (CARI), a group at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, suggested that Kenya paid too much for the railway. It cost Kenya $4 billion to build and may take more than 20 years before the transportation line pays for itself.

İn addition, environmental activists worry about what the rail line will do to some of Kenya’s national parks.

The Nairobi-Mombasa Railway is one of several large infrastructure projects in which China is investing.

About six railways in Africa have been launched in recent years. In addition to that, many other projects – including bridges, dams, roads and power centers – have been started. These projects appear to help all parties involved.

Aliqismet BADALOV,
“Khalq qazeti”