IDS Afrobarometer Seminar Series

Since the turn of the twenty first century, China’s engagement in Africa has expanded. For example, trade volumes have increased from about $ 11 billion in 2000 to $ 192 billion in 2019, engagement in infrastructural development, especially in road and railways subsectors has expanded, and provision of development finance assistance has equally increased. These, among other forms of engagements, have become the subject of scrutiny and debate. How do Kenyans perceive China’s engagement versus other external players? Afrobarometer’s national surveys since 2014 show that Kenyans hold positive views of China’s development assistance, though its perceived level of influence in the country’s economy has slightly declined. Positive views of China’s influence do not appear to affect their attitudes toward democracy. China is still preferred as a model of development, and Kenyans who are aware of Chinese loans and development assistance are concerned about being heavily indebted to China.

Dr. Folashade Soule- Kohndou is a Senior Research Associate at the Global Economic Governance Programme at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.