Kenya launches the second phase of its billion-dollar Chinese railway project

By Aisha Salaudeen, CNN

Updated 1734 GMT (0134 HKT) October 16, 2019

Since the first Chinese-backed railway, Tazara, was unveiled in the 1970s, four new billion-dollar railways have emerged across Africa.
Photos: The 5 largest Chinese railways in Africa
Tazara, a flagship project – Since the first Chinese-backed railway, Tazara, was unveiled in the 1970s, four new billion-dollar railways have emerged across Africa.
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In the past 30 years, the Chinese have stepped in several times to repair the line, which cuts through the Selous Game Reserve in the south of Tanzania. Stretching 1,860 kilometers from Dar es Salaam to New Kapiri Mposhi, it's still an example showcasing what China can do, experts say. <em>Photo: Rob</em><a href="http://www.bbmexplorer.com/" target="_blank"><em>/BBMExplorer</em></a>
Photos: The 5 largest Chinese railways in Africa
Tazara – In the past 30 years, the Chinese have stepped in several times to repair the line, which cuts through the Selous Game Reserve in the south of Tanzania. Stretching 1,860 kilometers from Dar es Salaam to New Kapiri Mposhi, it's still an example showcasing what China can do, experts say. Photo: Rob/BBMExplorer
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Tanzania and Zambia<a href="http://tazarasite.com/" target="_blank"> borrowed $500 million</a> from China to cover the costs of the railway. The Chinese-built railways are constructed by a number of companies such as China Civil and Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), China Railway Group and China Railway Engineering Corporation, some of which are connected to the state.<br />
Photos: The 5 largest Chinese railways in Africa
Tazara – Tanzania and Zambia borrowed $500 million from China to cover the costs of the railway. The Chinese-built railways are constructed by a number of companies such as China Civil and Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), China Railway Group and China Railway Engineering Corporation, some of which are connected to the state.
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The latest to be inaugurated, in January 2017, is a 756-kilometer railway which links Ethiopia's Addis Ababa to Djibouti.
Photos: The 5 largest Chinese railways in Africa
Ethiopia-Djibouti line – The latest to be inaugurated, in January 2017, is a 756-kilometer railway which links Ethiopia's Addis Ababa to Djibouti.
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The price tag was $3.5 billion, 70% of which was provided by the China Export Import bank (Exim), according to the SAIS China-Africa Research Institute (SAIS-CARI). African countries borrowed nearly $10 billion for railways between 2000 and 2014.
Photos: The 5 largest Chinese railways in Africa
Ethiopia-Djibouti line – The price tag was $3.5 billion, 70% of which was provided by the China Export Import bank (Exim), according to the SAIS China-Africa Research Institute (SAIS-CARI). African countries borrowed nearly $10 billion for railways between 2000 and 2014.
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The new line gives landlocked Ethiopia access to the Red Sea port in Djibouti. If all goes as planned, it will link up to a planned rail network connecting East African countries such as South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya.
Photos: The 5 largest Chinese railways in Africa
Ethiopia-Djibouti line – The new line gives landlocked Ethiopia access to the Red Sea port in Djibouti. If all goes as planned, it will link up to a planned rail network connecting East African countries such as South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya.
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The railway forms part of the so-called EAC Rail Sector Enhancement Project, also called the East African Railway Masterplan, managed by the<a href="http://www.eac.int/" target="_blank"> East Africa Community (EAC) </a>which plans to link Mombasa with other major East African cities such as Kampala in Uganda, and Juba in South Sudan.
Photos: The 5 largest Chinese railways in Africa
Kenya: Mombasa to Nairobi – The railway forms part of the so-called EAC Rail Sector Enhancement Project, also called the East African Railway Masterplan, managed by the East Africa Community (EAC) which plans to link Mombasa with other major East African cities such as Kampala in Uganda, and Juba in South Sudan.
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Kenya is spearheading the project, with a new 472-kilometers-long standard gauge line connecting<a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/15/africa/kenya-railway-east-africa/"> Mombasa to Nairobi taking shape</a>.
Photos: The 5 largest Chinese railways in Africa
Kenya: Mombasa to Nairobi – Kenya is spearheading the project, with a new 472-kilometers-long standard gauge line connecting Mombasa to Nairobi taking shape.
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The projects are not without controversy. In Kenya for example, the railway cuts through nature reserve, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/31/chinese-built-railway-line-cut-nairobi-national-park-kenya" target="_blank">causing a stir </a>among conservationists who say it will disturb wildlife. China has also been criticized for bringing their own workers, instead of employing locals.
Photos: The 5 largest Chinese railways in Africa
Kenya: Mombasa to Nairobi – The projects are not without controversy. In Kenya for example, the railway cuts through nature reserve, causing a stir among conservationists who say it will disturb wildlife. China has also been criticized for bringing their own workers, instead of employing locals.
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According to research by SAIS, about 1 in 10 workers are Chinese across the projects. For the Mombasa to Nairobi line, the Chinese construction company used 25,000 Kenyan workers and 3,000 Chinese, and some Kenyans were trained in China, the research showed.