| dc.description.abstract | In the last few years there has been a significant amount of comment and debate on the topic of Kenya's growing relationship with China. To a certain extent, the debate is part of a broader discussion on the question of China's growing presence in Africa. A number of commentators have argued that the state of Kenya-China relations during' the Kibaki administration differs fundamentally with the state of relations during the Kenyatta and Moi administrations. In other words, it has been argued that Kenya-China relations during the Kibaki administration have been characterized more by change than continuity.
The main objective of the study was the examination of the history of the bilateral relationship across the three administrations of Kenyatta, Moi and Kibaki with the aim of evaluating the degree of change and continuity in the relationship. The study addressed several research questions. The key questions were; was the state of Kenya-China relations during the Kenyatta and Moi administrations uniformly strained as has been suggested? How does the state of Kenya-China relations during the Kibaki administration compare to that of the Moi administration? How much continuity and change is seen in the relationship? What factors domestic or external have contributed to continuity and change in the relationship?
The study tested two hypotheses. The first postulated that Kenya-China relations had improved due to changes in the global distribution of power. The second postulated that Kenya-China relations had been enhanced by changes in Leadership in the two countries. The main finding of the study was that while changes in Leadership had influenced the relationship, the most significant influence on the relationship was the changes in the global distribution of power. In particular, the study concluded that the significant amount of continuity in Kenya-China relations from the Moi to the Kibaki administration was the result of the end of the Cold War and the resulting change in the global distribution of power. Kenya like many other developing states had to diversify her sources of aid and assistance as well as markets for her goods. China on the other hand, has had to seek out new markets as well as seek new allies to further her global ambitions. | en_US |
