China Kenya Investment group has defended the China role in boosting trade, investments, and shifting geopolitical ambitions amidst the ongoing concerns of Chinese infiltration of the Kenyan market by Chinese business people.
Their sentiments come days after Nairobi traders, drawn from downtown centres, said the Chinese traders had driven them out of business, claiming they were offering goods at extremely low prices.
According to China Kenya Investment group Chair Edward Waithaka the existence of Chinese in Kenya has cut out the middlemen who have been taking advantage of resellers and consequently increase profit margins to traders who had to ship their goods from overseas.
The group which has been linking traders to the Chinese market says their operations n linking China to Africa by ensuring they are in full compliance with government policies has been replicated in many African countries and as a result consumers access products at low-priced hence saving on time and money.
A sect of Kenyans have also echoed the group’s concerns citing that the Chinese are not in competition with Kenya’s and the closure of China square means 99% of employees who are locals have been rendered jobless at the expense of the interest of a few cartels.
“Provided they are in full compliance with the law then no one should be kicked out of the consumer market share. With the existence of a physical shop Kenyans are able to purchase items they would buy online at a cheaper and have a variety to select from” says Ms. Dorothy Nyambura Nyamakima adding that she stopped exporting at a higher price since all what she wanted is found locally saving time and money.
Her sentiments come a few a days after hundreds of traders held demonstrations in Nairobi’s central business district on Tuesday, February 28, citing infiltration of the Kenyan market by Chinese business people and subsequently forcing the temporary closure of China Square at Unicity Mall along Thika Road.
The former Dagoreti South Member of Parliament aspirant has further asked the Trade Cabinet Secretary Hon. Moses Kuria to consider adopting sustainable solutions to the issues affecting these small-scale traders urging him to reconsider the cancellation of China Square lease on grounds that its competing small traders.
“Along the streets of Guangzhou in China where I have lived for more than a decade, we have Kenyans who are retailing coffee and tea and competing with locals and we have never seen the Chinese demonstrating against infiltration. Provided the Chinese are in compliance same as the Kenyans in China and USA selling our local products then they should be allowed to operate” stated Hon. Waithaka alias Waa Waa.
The past few years have witnessed an expanding Chinese population which has been market analysts say will accelerate with the Sino-Kenyan partnership.
China Square opened on January 29, offering a range of household items, from kitchenware to furniture and hardware.
