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https://t.co/SzWNmhFhNX pic.twitter.com/jdR44xan7Q
— simonthong aka kitty poo (@KittyPo80176717) August 8, 2022
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Elections are coming up in Kenya on Tuesday, and China has featured reasonably prominently in the campaign promises made by candidates. A couple of observations from my own conversations to add to the FT article 1/ https://t.co/DW3odFz89T
— Mareike Ohlberg (@MareikeOhlberg) August 7, 2022
Two types of sentiments prevailed: 1. Chinese workers are taking jobs that could be done by Kenyans. For example, the Chinese-built train now employs (almost?) only locals, but many people still remember how it had initially been run by Chinese workers. 3/
— Mareike Ohlberg (@MareikeOhlberg) August 7, 2022
To raise money to pay for the railway, the Kenyan government has required importers to use the train to transport their goods inland from Mombasa, with consequences for both the importers (higher costs) and local lorry drivers (unemployment). See here: https://t.co/mRNf5xvnpl 5/
— Mareike Ohlberg (@MareikeOhlberg) August 7, 2022
… at the expense of ordinary Kenyans. While the "elites vs. ordinary people" frame isn't always helpful, when it comes to "anti-Chinese sentiment" in countries in the Global South, it can help to understand what is going on with regard to China's presence in those countries 7/7
— Mareike Ohlberg (@MareikeOhlberg) August 7, 2022
(I should probably add that I did not initiate any conversation specifically about China while I was in Kenya. China kept coming up because it has a big presence, and a lot of people had strong opinions about that.)
— Mareike Ohlberg (@MareikeOhlberg) August 7, 2022
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weehingthong 