President William Ruto has dispatched Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to China to represent him in high-level talks that could unlock major trade and infrastructure deals for Kenya.
Speaking during a church service at Friends Comprehensive School in Kivaywa in Kakamega County, Ruto said the trip is aimed at securing financing for key national projects, including the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to Malaba.
Mudavadi is also expected to lobby for funding towards the construction of the Rironi–Mau Summit–Eldoret–Bungoma–Malaba highway. Ruto noted that due to limited resources, the highway may be built in phases rather than as a single rollout.
The construction process is set to begin in August. Meanwhile, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) plans to invest billions of Kenyans' savings into constructing the Nairobi–Rironi–Mau Summit Highway if its joint bid with the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) is successful.
The planned construction of the road, expected to ease congestion and enhance trade and travel between Kenya and its neighbours in the west, comes amid public concerns over the use of pension funds for infrastructure development.
At the heart of the China visit is also a push for a new trade agreement, as Kenya continues to await the outcome of potential negotiations with the US on the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
"You know that we are now producing on a large scale avocados, tea, coffee, and macadamia. All that needs a market, and we have been signing agreements among them with the UK, the US, and now we have one with China," Ruto announced.
"Musalia and his team are working on the Chinese market, and we hope that in the next three or four months we will be able to conclude that so that our products can have access to a larger market," he added.
President Ruto, who last visited China in April, has faced criticism over his diplomatic balancing act between Beijing and Washington. During his trip, he defended Kenya’s cooperation with China amid growing pressure from the United States, which has increasingly scrutinised the nature of Chinese investments in Africa.
While China remains a key trading partner for the US, it is also viewed as a strategic rival. The two global superpowers have clashed over trade practices, with Washington accusing Beijing of unfair economic tactics—tensions that have complicated diplomatic relations for countries like Kenya seeking to engage both sides.
The Head of State said Kenya's cooperation with China is mainly in the spirit of multilateralism. In an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), he stated that multilateralism, a system where multiple countries collaborate to achieve common goals, was key to achieving fairer trade.
The latest comes after US Senator and the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Jim Risch raised concerns over Kenya’s growing ties with China, calling for a reassessment of the relationship between Kenya and the US.
Responding to Ruto's April visit to Beijing, Senator Risch warned that Kenya’s deepening partnership with China signals more than just an economic partnership and could indicate a shift in global allegiances.
Speaking during a Senate hearing on East Africa and the Horn of Africa on Tuesday, May 13, Risch pointed to Ruto’s remarks where he declared that Kenya and China are “co-architects of a new world order.”
According to the Senator, such comments reflect a high level of alignment with China that should prompt the US to reconsider its engagement with Kenya.
“Just last month, President Ruto declared that Kenya, a major non-NATO ally, and China are co-architects of a new world order.” That’s not just alignment to China; it’s allegiance,” the statement read in part.
During his China trip, Ruto signed deals amounting to Ksh100 billion spanning across several areas of development in Kenya’s economy.
