Chinese Vice President Han Zheng is set to visit Kenya as part of a diplomatic tour that will also take him to South Africa and Seychelles.
In an update on Friday, March 20, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visit is scheduled to run from March 22 to 30.
The ministry's spokesperson said the trips follow invitations extended by Deputy Presidents Kithure Kindiki and Paul Mashatile of Kenya and South Africa, respectively, as well as Seychelles Vice President Sebastien Pillay.
This comes a day after President William Ruto presided over the launch of the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Malaba.
Speaking during the launch in Narok County on Thursday, March 19, he said the extension of the SGR is necessary to unlock its full potential.
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Ruto pointed out that SGR is currently incomplete as it does not reach the major production zones in the western Kenya region.
"From the onset, we were clear that for the SGR to unlock its full potential and economic value, it would have to extend beyond Narok.
"A railway that terminates at Narok is incomplete because it does not reach the major production of western Kenya, it does not connect with the lake transport system in Kisumu and does not capture the full volume of outbound freight that sustains modern rail economy in the eastern African region," he stated.
Ruto highlighted that transport cargo from the port of Mombasa reached 7.37 million tons in the first 6 months of 2025, with nearly 70% of the cargo destined for Uganda.
However, he observed that the cargo from Mombasa to the Malaba border takes up to 80 hours and over 100 hours to get to Kampala, Uganda.
"A slow transport corridor inevitably loses business and weakens our competitiveness as a nation. It is this gap that makes the 262.3km Narok-Kisumu section, Phase 2B of our SGR network, not just an extension, but a strategic economic intervention," he added.
Ruto mentioned that the extension of the SGR will connect the industrial corridor in Nairobi to the agricultural heartland of Narok, Bomet, Nyamira, Kericho, Busia and Kisumu counties.
He observed that the 6 counties hold immense economic potential, which will be accelerated by the railway line.
"This corridor holds immense economic potential. Western Kenya produces tea, maize, sugar and rice and supports a vibrant fishing sector in Lake Victoria and also supplies critical inputs of agricultural processing and industrialisation," he further said.
Ruto also said the extension of the SGR will decongest roads, hence reducing accidents and lowering maintenance costs.
"It will decongest our roads. Each freight train removes hundreds of trucks from our highways, reducing accidents, lowering maintenance costs and saving lives," he continued.
Ruto also noted that the SGR will lower the cost of transport across the economy, which will translate into lower food prices, affordable construction, and industrial competitiveness.
"There is a sound economic logic that underpins this project. First, it will lower the cost of transport across our economy. Every reduction in logistics costs translates into lower food prices, more affordable construction, and greater industrial competitiveness," he explained.
Further, Ruto said the SGR will position Kisumu as a logistics hub with rail, road and lake transport integrated.
"Kisumu will become a centre of distribution of trade serving not only Kenya but also the wider East African region," he remarked.
