Every newborn in Kenya owes China Sh7,000

China Roads and Bridges Construction workers use a mechanized cranes to lay T-beams over the Standard Guage Railway (SGR) line at Kyulu bridge fly over near Mtito Andei in an effort to make sure the SGR work is completed in time, January 13, 2016. This was during an impromtu visit by the managing director of Kenya Railways Athurnas Maina and the newly appointed Principal Secretary for Transport Wilson Irungu from Nairobi to Mombasa. [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

David Muriithi is a few hours old, but he already owes China Sh7,000 debt. On top of this, the 3.5kg baby boy, who has no appreciation of the roads and buildings the Asian nation has funded, may have to pay another Sh28,000 in interest.

Data from the Treasury has brought home reality of the piling debt Kenya has soaked up from China from the turn of the millennium.