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By Reuters Published on: March 19, 2026 08:36 (EAT)

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A car passes under a bridge as a train moves along the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line constructed by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and financed by the Chinese government in Athi River, Kenya, June 3, 2022. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

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Kenya will on Thursday restart a multi-billion-dollar railway extension that was financed ‌through revenue securitisation, reviving a project that has been stalled for over six years after initial lending from Beijing dried up.

The railway’s first section, linking the port of Mombasa to Nairobi, was completed in 2017. But after China slashed funding for large African infrastructure projects under its Belt ​and Road Initiative, the project stalled near the Rift Valley town of Naivasha, more than 350 km short ​of reaching the Ugandan border and delaying a planned cross-border link to boost regional connectivity and ⁠commerce.

Critics have said the stalled project had become a symbol of China’s debt trap diplomacy, with Beijing extending large, often ​opaque loans to a poorer country for infrastructure projects – though that is a claim rejected by the Chinese government.

Last year, Kenya ​and China renegotiated terms of the loans used to construct the first two phases to cut annual repayments for Nairobi.

NEW FINANCING MODEL

Kenya changed its legislation to allow for use of the bulk of a railway development levy charged on cargo carried on the existing line and estimated ​at 35 billion shillings ($270.27 million) as seed money for the construction of new phases.

State firm Kenya Railways did not respond ​to questions on the extension’s total cost or the deal structure.

There is still Chinese involvement, however, with government-owned China Road and Bridge Corporation ‌being a ⁠contractor, Kenya Railways said.

The deal has been made possible by an agreement between African leaders and China at a 2024 Beijing summit to focus on investments rather than debt, said analysts.

“Following the heavy propaganda in regard to the debt burden, particularly from the West, China and Africa discussed a new model based on investments to sustain the level of building infrastructure,” said ​Peter Kagwanja, a Nairobi-based international ​relations expert who specialises in ⁠China ties.

OUT OF ROOM TO BORROW

In 2019, after pumping billions of dollars into infrastructure projects, China began to slash lending to Africa amid growing worries over debt sustainability.

At the 2024 summit, ​Beijing moved to reposition itself, on the continent, pledging $50 billion in credit and investments over three ​years. Kenya and ⁠two Chinese firms are already building a $1.5 billion highway expansion under the new financing model.

The financing setup is also beneficial for Kenya given it has little room to borrow or space to raise cash through taxes.

President William Ruto’s administration has been turning to securitisation ⁠of some ​revenue streams to generate cash for infrastructure, since debt repayments gobble up ​a huge share of its annual revenue, and an attempt to increase taxes led to deadly riots in 2024.

Ruto will launch the construction at a ceremony ​near the Rift Valley town of Naivasha later in the day.

President William Ruto arrives at Narok TTC for the launch of the Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba SGR project

 

A train launched to operate on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line constructed by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and financed by the Chinese government arrives at the Nairobi Terminus on the outskirts of Kenya’s capital in June 2017. | REUTERS

Arsenal’s Trossard says Leverkusen win ideal ahead of League Cup final

By AFP Published on: March 19, 2026 10:00 (EAT)

Arsenal’s Belgian midfielder #19 Leandro Trossard (L) celebrates with Arsenal’s English midfielder #41 Declan Rice after scoring the team’s second goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium, in London, on May 4, 2024. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)

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Arsenal’s Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen is the perfect preparation for Sunday’s League Cup final with Manchester City, according to forward Leandro Trossard.

While City were knocked out of the elite competition by European football giants Real Madrid, the Gunners eased into the last eight with a 2-0 win over German club Bayer Leverkusen for a 3-1 aggregate victory.

Attention now focuses on Wembley, where Premier League leaders Arsenal will try to complete the first part of what would be an unprecedented quadruple by defeating City for the first major trophy of the English season.

“We’re looking forward to it a lot,” Arsenal winger Trossard told the club’s website.

“It’s one of our objectives as well and I think everyone will be ready for that.

“We’re still competing on every level now and we just need to keep going game by game and every game is very important for us, so we want to try and win every game.”

The 31-year-old Belgium international provided the pass that led to Eberechi Eze to open the scoring against Leverkusen with a thunderous shot from the edge of the box.

“It’s an amazing goal,” said Trossard of the England midfielder’s superb strike.

“You can see his qualities as well, in and around the box, the way he takes that shot with a lot of confidence and how it goes in.

“It’s one of those goals you only score, I don’t know, maybe once or twice in your career. So credit to him and I’m really pleased with that.”

Trossard added: “It was a good performance from us, especially how we dominated that first half with a lot of chances.

“I think we enjoyed it a lot on the pitch, you could see that, it transmitted on to the crowd as well, I think we were very good and it was a perfect one for us.

“We just needed to get the business done and I think we did it in a very good way.”

Declan Rice’s second-half goal helped ensure Arsenal will face Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon in next month’s quarter-finals.

Fernandez uncertain over Chelsea future after Champions League exit

By AFP Published on: March 19, 2026 09:00 (EAT)

Chelsea’s Argentinian midfielder Enzo Fernandez celebrates after scoring their third goal during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and West Ham United at Stamford Bridge in London on January 31, 2026. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)

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Enzo Fernandez has suggested he could leave Chelsea at the end of the current season after the London club were knocked out of the Champions League.

Liam Rosenior’s side were beaten 3-0 at home by Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday as the French giants completed an aggregate 8-2 thrashing of the Blues over the two legs of their last-16 tie.

With world club champions Chelsea currently sixth in the Premier League, they may yet fail to qualify for a place among European football’s elite next term.

Argentina’s Fernandez captained the Blues against PSG on Tuesday in the absence of the injured Reece James.

But the 25-year-old midfielder did little to end speculation he could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge, telling ESPN: “I don’t know, there are eight games left and the FA Cup. There’s the World Cup and then we’ll see.”

Fernandez, reflecting on Chelsea’s latest loss to PSG, who put the tie to bed with two goals in the first 15 minutes at Stamford Bridge, added: “I think we failed to control the game. In the first leg, we lost focus in the final 15 minutes and conceded three goals, and here it happened at the very start.

“At this level, you can’t concede two goals so quickly because of small details. Ultimately, over the two legs, PSG were the better side and deserve to go through. Since I arrived at Chelsea we have already passed through similar situations and we were able to turn them around.

“Now, our focus must be on winning the FA Cup and achieving our goal of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.”

Eight-time FA Cup winners Chelsea face third-tier Port Vale in the quarter-finals of that competition on April 4.

Doku adamant Man City still have plenty to play for after Champions League exit

By AFP Published on: March 19, 2026 11:00 (EAT)

Sunderland’s Northern Irish defender Trai Hume (R) slides in to foul Manchester City’s Belgian midfielder Jeremy Doku (L) during the English Premier League football match between Sunderland and Manchester City at The Stadium of Light in Sunderland in north east England on January 1, 2026. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP)

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Jeremy Doku believes Manchester City demonstrated enough quality while being knocked out of the Champions League to show that Pep Guardiola’s men could yet enjoy a successful season.

City were all but eliminated by Spanish giants Real Madrid during a 3-0 defeat in last week’s first leg of a last-16 tie at the Bernabeu Stadium.

And the record 15-time European champions completed the job at City’s Etihad Stadium on Tuesday with a 2-1 success for a 5-1 aggregate win after the hosts played most of that match a man down following captain Bernardo Silva’s red card for handball.

Defeat capped a tough few days for City, with a draw at West Ham in between the two matches with Real leaving them nine points adrift of Premier League leaders Arsenal.

They must now rouse themselves for a League Cup final against the Gunners at Wembley on Sunday, but City winger Doku is convinced team morale remains high.

“We played well (against Real),” he said. “We played well with 11 against 11 and 10 against 11. We created chances.

“I feel like if we play like that every game we’ll put many teams in trouble. There are some good things to take out of this game to the next one.”

The 23-year-old Belgium winger added: “There’s still a lot to play for. We’re still in three competitions, three trophies to win.

“If we do that it’s still going to be a great season.”

Turning to the League Cup final, Doku reckoned it was “a good cure” for City’s European woes. “We’ll do everything to win that game and to win a trophy,” he said.

City started well on Tuesday were dealt a huge blow when captain skipper Silva was sent off after 20 minutes for handling a Vinicius Junior shot on the line.

Vinicius scored from the ensuing penalty and, although Erling Haaland equalised for City, defeat on the night was confirmed when Vinicius grabbed his second goal in stoppage time.

Doku insisted Silva had the full support of his City team-mates.

“Obviously he’s disappointed,” he said. “Knowing him, I know he takes it very personally.

“But even after it, we stood there, we were in the game. He’s disappointed but we’re all there for him. We know his contribution to the team is massive.

“We can be proud of our performance. Playing against a big team like that, 10 against 11, and still performing like we did, still putting them into trouble. Not every team can do that.”

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