China’s Vice President Han Zheng will tour Kenya, South Africa, and Seychelles from Sunday, March 22 to 30 in a diplomatic push aimed at deepening ties between Beijing and the three countries.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated the trip follows invitations from Kenya’s Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile, and Seychelles Vice President Sebastien Pillay.
Han’s Kenya visit comes as the government revives a multibillion-shilling railway extension that had stalled for more than six years after initial funding from Beijing slowed.
The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), which connected Mombasa to Nairobi upon its completion in 2017, had previously halted at Naivasha, missing its planned link to the Ugandan border.
President William Ruto (right) during the groundbreaking for the Naivasha-Kisumu SGR Extension at Suswa in Narok County on March 19, 2026. /PCS
The extension has now been relaunched, with President William Ruto overseeing the groundbreaking, signalling renewed momentum in the country’s infrastructure drive.
The Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Phase 2B section will span over 370 kilometres, cutting across nine counties and improving connectivity in the Rift Valley, Nyanza, and Western regions.
Once completed, the line is expected to significantly enhance trade and regional integration by improving links between Kenya and neighbouring countries.
Ahead of the relaunch, President Ruto met Song Hailiang, Chairman of China Communications Construction Company, at State House, Nairobi.
The visit also coincides with Kenya’s recent financial restructuring tied to Chinese-funded railway loans.
In October last year, Kenya shifted part of its SGR debt from U.S. dollars to the Chinese yuan to lower interest costs and ease repayment pressure.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi revealed the conversion involved loans worth about Ksh646 billion and has already generated notable savings in debt servicing.
Figures from the Office of the Controller of the Budget show Kenya paid Ksh37.5 billion in January 2026 for a semi-annual instalment to the Export-Import Bank of China, down from Ksh59 billion during the same period last year—translating to savings of Ksh21.5 billion.marked.
