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A recent survey by Infotrak Research and Consulting revealed that Kenyans mostly associate development with infrastructure , affordable healthcare , the building of educational institutions and the provision of jobs . Notably , about 3 in 5 of Kenyans are aware of at least one development project that has been launched in the country . Unsurprisingly , the survey revealed that the Standard Gauge Railway ( 55 %) and China built roads and bridges ( 54 %) are the development projects Kenyans are most aware of .

Essentially , Kenya has come to a point where the very concept of infrastructure development - at least in the general public ’ s psyche - cannot be entirely divorced from the Chinese involvement . The implications of this for other countries that provide Kenya with development assistance are huge .

Much has been said about China ’ s debt trap diplomacy . Many commentators posit that China ’ s Belt and Road Initiative ( BRI ) is used to achieve the country ’ s numerous geopolitical goals . The attainment of these goals it is felt , usually come at great expense for the countries receiving Chinese assistance ; basically , strategically ensnaring recipient countries with loans they are unable to repay on time or at all . This is believed to increase Chinese leverage , giving it carte blanche to seize strategic assets when recipients default .

As if to buttress this point , in a visit to Ethiopia last year , former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , pointedly warned African leaders about countries that “ breed corruption , dependency and do not train African workers ”. Perhaps Secretary Pompeo should have gone a step further and encouraged African countries to adopt home-grown development solutions and end reliance on external support especially for infrastructure , though that would have signalled a massive and unlikely policy shift on the part of the United Sates government . So , the question must be asked again , who benefits from these mega infrastructure development projects ?

Globalized big capital ( and it is not only China that is guilty of this ) is disrupting culture and established ways of life . For instance , foreign investment in Lamu is rapidly changing the way people there have been accustomed to living for generations .

The building of the Nairobi Expressway on its part , has resulted in the uprooting of countless trees , an action that has dismayed environmentalists and lovers of nature in general . In fact , so great was the public outcry , that President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Director of Nairobi Metropolitan Service ( NMS ) General Mohamed Badi

issued a “ Declaration of Conservation of the Tree ” to protect the iconic fig tree found at the Waiyaki Way-Mpaka Road Junction and that is directly in the path of the expressway . Director Badi has also recently outlined measures on the planting of more trees to replace those cut down to pave way for the expressway and increase green spaces in the capital city .

Interestingly , according to the results of the aforementioned Infotrak survey , just 3 in 10 Kenyans believe preserving culture and heritage is more important than development . Put another way , 70 % of Kenyans would prefer to have development over the preservation of culture and heritage .

For a country that prides itself on having some of the most remarkable cultural and heritage sites in the world , some may find this surprising . So , the question must be asked again , what does development mean to Kenyans ? I leave that up to you to decide .

Walter Nyabundi is the Research Manager for Public Policy & Governance at Infotrak Research & Consulting Limited . You can commune with him via email at : Walter . Nyabundi @ infotrakresearch . com .

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