President William Ruto has sealed seven major investment deals valued at around Ksh 123 billion (US$949 million) during his ongoing state visit to China.
The agreements were signed on Wednesday during the Kenya-China Investor Roundtable in Beijing, where President Ruto urged for greater participation by China’s private sector in Kenya’s economic transformation journey.
Announcing the deals, President Ruto emphasised the role Chinese investments continue to play in Kenya’s development agenda noting, “At the Kenya-China Investor Roundtable in Beijing, I witnessed the signing of seven deals by Chinese companies that intend to invest in Kenya with new projects.”
“China’s private sector has been instrumental in driving Kenya’s economic growth over the years through their investments in various sectors of our economy. We endeavour to encourage even greater participation of China’s private sector in our journey of economic transformation, which in turn, will create thousands of jobs for our youth,” President Ruto added.
The deals, spanning manufacturing, agro-processing, steel production, smart transport technology, textile industries, and tourism, are expected to create over 25,500 direct jobs for Kenyans.
The Chinese firms involved include China Wu Yi, Chongqing Shancheng Apparel Group, Rongtai Steel, Anhui Jiubao Electronics, Shandong Jialejia Agriculture, Zonken Group, and Huatian Hotels.
Key Projects Signed in Beijing
Among the largest deals is a KSh 51.8 billion ($400 million) investment by Zonken Group for an Aloe and Vineyard Project in Baringo County.
The project will focus on large-scale aloe cultivation, processing, and the establishment of grape and apple seedling nurseries, creating at least 5,000 jobs in the region.
According to a statement from the government, 300 acres have already been secured for aloe as well as 72 acres for grapes.
The other company which signed a deal is China Wu Yi, which committed KSh 19.4 billion ($150 million) towards establishing a Special Economic Zone in Kikambala, Kilifi County.
This zone will focus on manufacturing, processing, and warehousing, with a target to create 5,000 jobs. The company has previously been involved in a few Kenyan projects, including Thika Superhighway, JKIA upgrade, construction of Athi River Factory.
Meanwhile, Chongqing Shancheng/Pengfeng announced an initial Ksh 25.9 billion ($20 million) investment — part of a broader Ksh 38.8 ($300 million) commitment over the next decade — for textile, garment, and solar power factories in Murang’a and Athi River.
The factories are expected to employ 7,000 people, boosting Kenya’s apparel export industry and renewable energy capabilities.
To actualise the deal, the government noted that 14.3 acres have been secured in Kajiado, as well as warehouses on Mombasa Road.
In the steel manufacturing sector, Rongtai Steel signed a Ksh 12.95 billion ($100 million) deal to expand its plant in Lukenya, Machakos County, while establishing a modern research and development centre.
The expansion is set to generate 3,000 jobs and strengthen Kenya’s domestic steel production, reducing dependency on costly imports.
Also included in the agreements is Ksh 6.4 billion ($50 million) to be injected by Anhui Jiubao into constructing a smart traffic technology components factory in Mombasa, with an additional 50 acres identified in Murang’a for future developments.
As per the deal, the plant, expected to employ 5,000 workers, will support Kenya’s intelligent transport systems under Vision 2030’s infrastructure pillar.
In Kajiado County, Shandong Jialejia Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Technology Co. Ltd will invest Ksh 3.75 billion ($30 million) to set up a poultry breeding with a capacity for 500,000 laying hens,10,000 breeders and a feed factory
This is expected to create 500 direct jobs with 100 acres for the project secured in Kajiado.
In the hospitality sector, Huatian Hotels announced a Ksh 2.98 billion ($23 million) investment to acquire or lease existing hotels in Nairobi, which has been hailed as a boost to Kenya’s tourism.
The president touched down in Beijing on Tuesday night to commence a four-day visit, which will include bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping.
Earlier on Wednesday, he delivered a public lecture at Peking University in Beijing, where he called for a new, fairer global economic and governance order.
He argued that the ongoing trade tariff wars could signal the end of the old world order shaped after World War II, which has historically favoured the Global North at the expense of the Global South.
