Beijing prepares to seize Kenya's port of Mombasa [View all]

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China may be preparing to seize some major assets in the African nation of Kenya, as a result of debt-trap diplomacy. African media reports that Kenya may soon be forced to relinquish control of its largest and most lucrative port in Mombasa to Chinese control. Other assets related to the inland shipment of goods from the port, including the Inland Container Depot in Nairobi, and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), may also be compromised in the event of a Chinese port takeover.

Kenya has reportedly taken extremely large loans from the Communist government for the development of some major highways, and especially for the SGR, which forms a crucial transport link to and from Nairobi for the import and export of goods through Mombasa.

With a reported loss of US$98 million in its first year of operation, it would be nearly impossible to repay the loans taken for its construction in the time requested. Kenya reportedly accepted loans of US$4.9 billion for the SGR’s construction.

It is becoming increasingly clear that China’s designs on the nations of Africa are anything but benevolent. Kenya appears to be lining up behind Zambia, which is slated to lose its international airport, as well as its national electricity grid because of defaults on Chinese loans.

African nations must wake up to China’s new form of colonialism that is chipping away at their critical infrastructure one major asset at a time.

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3605624