SGR was not a priority in Uhuru China trip - CS Monica Juma

Foreign Affairs CS Monica Juma has lashed out at the media over their reporting on the SGR loan deal by China.

On Saturday, the Nation and the Standard's front page headlines reported on the 'unsuccessful trip' by President Uhuru Kenyatta and AU special envoy Raila Odinga where they failed to secure the over Sh300 billion loan deal that would have seen the SGR be extended to Western Kenya.

Juma made it clear that the relationship between Kenya and China is broader than the SGR.

"In fact the SGR extension beyond Naivasha was never a priority agenda for the current mission to Beijing," she tweeted.

She added that the main focus was on growing market access, development of the country's industrial and special economic zones, and partnership with the private sectors for investment.

Juma went on to state that she doesn't understand where the news outlets got their stories from

"Significantly, the first PPP deal was struck yesterday. So where is this headline coming from? Juma concluded.

The bilateral talks by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping secured an avocado deal at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China.

Kenyan farmers will now export their popular hass avocados to China following the deal signed by Uhuru and Xi Jinping.

Curiosly, there was no mention the Sh368 billion loan deal.

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