Kenya: The Standard Gauge Railway Takes Shape

[MOTOCHINI]

Chuki ni kufurahia majirani wako wanao chinjwa Na kutaka mengi kama hayo yaendelee

Kumbe! hayabwana

 

[Jumong S]

Napenda sana vitu vinavyoonekana, hongereni sana Kenya

 

[MANI]

Sisi hatuwezi kujenga reli maana magari yetu yatakosa mizigo.

 

[nyangau mkenya]

cheki quality test hao wasee wana fanya

 

[nyangau mkenya]

UPDATE PHOTOS

 

[nyangau mkenya]

 

[nyangau mkenya]

 

[MK254]

Ngoma bado inazidi kunoga, Uhuru kazindua ujenzi wa kituo cha Nairobi.

 

[nyangau mkenya]

.project moving real fast ,earthworks nearly complete, one of the few things that govt takes seriously.

.aerial pics;

.

 

[MK254]

Nawaombea akina MOTOCHINI waishi siku nyingi ili waone hatima ya mambo haya.

 

[Tokyo40]

Congratulations Kenya for building a new railway network.

Word of caution:
There is no such thing as Free Lunch. Kenya has borrowed 90% of the $3.8 billion from China Exim Bank to finance this project.

Haven't you guys learned from Angola?

China has lent Angola around $20 billion since a 27-year civil war ended in 2002.

They are borrowing another $25 billion from China and Brazil to fund the budget gap in 2015 due to low crude oil prices.

Repayments are often paid with oil or funds go directly to Chinese construction firms that have built roads, hospitals, houses and railways across the southern African country.

This means, however, dollars don't end up entering the real economy, increasing costs for ordinary Angolans.

There are around 50 Chinese state companies and 400 private companies operating in Angola alone.

I honestly hope that Kenyans will be able to repay the Chinese without sacrificing their future.

Wishing you all the best.

source:Bloomberg.com, Reuters.com

 

[Tokyo40]

Talking about No Free Lunch:

China will supply the initial rolling stock comprising 56 diesel locomotives, 1,620 wagons and 40 coaches.


Contractors involved:

China Road and Bridge Corporation, a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Co., was contracted to build the project according to Chinese railway design standards.

Mkopo wote unarudi China.

Nategenea wakimaliza kujenga hii reli, japokuwa Wakenya watafundishwa jinsi ya kutengeneza reli wenyewe.

Bila ya kulazimisha "transfer of technology" Afrika hatutaweza kujiendeleza. Tutakuwa tunategemea wageni kwa kila kitu.

source:railway-technology.com

 

[nyangau mkenya]

Congratulations Kenya for building a new railway network.

Word of caution:
There is no such thing as Free Lunch. Kenya has borrowed 90% of the $3.8 billion from China Exim Bank to finance this project.

Haven't you guys learned from Angola?

China has lent Angola around $20 billion since a 27-year civil war ended in 2002.

They are borrowing another $25 billion from China and Brazil to fund the budget gap in 2015 due to low crude oil prices.

Repayments are often paid with oil or funds go directly to Chinese construction firms that have built roads, hospitals, houses and railways across the southern African country.

This means, however, dollars don't end up entering the real economy, increasing costs for ordinary Angolans.

There are around 50 Chinese state companies and 400 private companies operating in Angola alone.

I honestly hope that Kenyans will be able to repay the Chinese without sacrificing their future.

Wishing you all the best.

source:Bloomberg.com, Reuters.com

angola is an oil resource dependent nation ,don't compare kenya to them .

 

[Tokyo40]

angola is an oil resource dependent nation ,don't compare kenya to them .

So is Saudi Arabia. That was not my point.

My concerns are two. Can Kenya afford to pay the debt? How much technology-transfer is Involved?

This is not about Kenya but Africa in general. Can Africa afford to borrow so heavily without even demanding transfer of technology?

Angola has an economy twice as big as Kenya and still struggling to pay her debts.

Kenya does not exactly have Singaporean efficiency and financial discipline. She can easily get trapped just like Angola.

 

[Mekatilili]

So is Saudi Arabia. That was not my point.

My concerns are two. Can Kenya afford to pay the debt? How much technology-transfer is Involved?

This is not about Kenya but Africa in general. Can Africa afford to borrow so heavily without even demanding transfer of technology?

Angola has an economy twice as big as Kenya and still struggling to pay her debts.

Kenya does not exactly have Singaporean efficiency and financial discipline. She can easily get trapped just like Angola.

What are you babbling about? You speak of transfer of technology as if it is the sole determinant of the viability of this project. I suspect it is a buzz word you have just learnt, and you are hell bent of notifying the world of your newly acquired smarts.

The viability of the project cannot be contemplated in a vacuum. The multiplier effect, a natural consequence of this project, is far more important than your narrow analysis that considers reimbursements in isolation; removed from the economic growth that I alluded to. Technology transfer is important, but not nearly as important as the efficient application of the acquired knowledge. This is a global economy and only the most efficient players should be considered for a project.

Drop the jingoism and cynicism. Your words of cautions are nothing but repackaged lamentations of the average Dangyanyikan-who views Kenya as the existential enemy that must fail for Dangyanyika-the sleeping giant-to wake up.

 

[sam999]

Thank you Mekatilili

 

[Tokyo40]

What are you babbling about? You speak of transfer of technology as if it is the sole determinant of the viability of this project. I suspect it is a buzz word you have just learnt, and you are hell bent of notifying the world of your newly acquired smarts.

The viability of the project cannot be contemplated in a vacuum. The multiplier effect, a natural consequence of this project, is far more important than your narrow analysis that considers reimbursements in isolation; removed from the economic growth that I alluded to. Technology transfer is important, but not nearly as important as the efficient application of the acquired knowledge. This is a global economy and only the most efficient players should be considered for a project.

Drop the jingoism and cynicism. Your words of cautions are nothing but repackaged lamentations of the average Dangyanyikan—who views Kenya as the existential enemy that must fail for Dangyanyika-the sleeping giant-to wake up.

You know, it is really stupid of you to ignore transfer of technology.

Not everybody here is anti-Kenya. Many Tanzanians, including myself, have very close relatives in Kenya.

Do not be so arrogant. We can all learn from Indonesians. They have awarded a $5 billion tender to the Chinese to build them a railway network this year. However, they have a clause in their contract which demands that they transfer their technology to them. The Chinese will also build a factory to manufacture components of the train in Indonesia. The construction will also involve local firms so that they can learn from their counterparts.

Their government turned down a much superior Japanese technology because the Japanese insisted the Indonesian government borrow money to finance the project and it was more expensive. The Chinese agreed to finance it privately.

Thanks to the Indonesian government's insistence of transfer of technology when she award tenders, today they are able to make small arms, car engines, military vehicles and even aviation spare parts in their country.

That is how they built a one billion dollar economy.

Only a fool will think that transfer of technology is not THAT important.

By the way, I never try to impress you or anyone else here with my knowledge. Please refrain from personal attacks, stick to facts and show some maturity.

source: jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com, Indonesia-investments.com

 

[Clemence Baraka]

What are you babbling about? You speak of transfer of technology as if it is the sole determinant of the viability of this project. I suspect it is a buzz word you have just learnt, and you are hell bent of notifying the world of your newly acquired smarts.

The viability of the project cannot be contemplated in a vacuum. The multiplier effect, a natural consequence of this project, is far more important than your narrow analysis that considers reimbursements in isolation; removed from the economic growth that I alluded to. Technology transfer is important, but not nearly as important as the efficient application of the acquired knowledge. This is a global economy and only the most efficient players should be considered for a project.

Drop the jingoism and cynicism. Your words of cautions are nothing but repackaged lamentations of the average Dangyanyikan—who views Kenya as the existential enemy that must fail for Dangyanyika-the sleeping giant-to wake up.

Why involve the Tanzanians in your comments despite referring to them as tanganyikans?

 

[Iconoclastes]

Why involve the Tanzanians in your comments despite referring to them as tanganyikans?

Isnt it obvious? Some danganyikans here alway attempting to pour cold water on every of our development efforts.

 

[Iconoclastes]

Tokyo40, Kenya was well aware that something had to give in order to obtain the infrastructure plus the technology transfer. Considering the immeasurable benefits that it is poised to accrue upon completion of the project and its eventual operation, bearing the debts is the one sacrifice it is willing to make.

The debt isnt too huge to the extent it would really dent her economy so severely.
To answer your concern above; yes, Kenya can quite comfortably handle the debt.
I believe that the pipo who did the feasibility study on the project are smatter than you and I will ever be, they wouldnt recommend an idea that would be inimical to the economic growth of their country.