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Two kinds of time: the Chinese–Kenyan infrastructure disconnect

In: Technological Leapfrogging and Innovation in Africa

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  • Arielle S. Emmett

Abstract

Technological leapfrogging cannot be assessed in isolation from local context in Kenya, a nation known for its eye-catching infrastructure, tech start-ups, and prodigious reputation for government borrowing and graft. In this chapter we argue that technological leapfrogging facilitated by Chinese investment must be viewed as both a prime mover and distraction from Kenya’s urgent need for social justice and economic reform. This chapter uses qualitative interviews with a range of Kenyans and Chinese to describe the impact of two infrastructure projects conceived as “game changers” - the Standard Gauge Railway and the LAPSSET Corridor originating in Lamu on Kenya’s south-east coast. We show, using data collected during 2018-2019, how Kenyans and Chinese assess the benefits and negatives of these infrastructure projects based on labor impacts, divergent perceptions of time, time management, and investment payback. The chapter’s narrative structure uses explanatory subthemes, interweaving literature with interviews. We conclude with key questions regarding the future transformation of life for Kenyan citizens.

Suggested Citation

  • Arielle S. Emmett, 2023. "Two kinds of time: the Chinese–Kenyan infrastructure disconnect," Chapters, in: Ethné Swartz & Caren B. Scheepers & Adam Lindgreen & Shumaila Yousafzai & Marianne Matthee (ed.), Technological Leapfrogging and Innovation in Africa, chapter 7, pages 136-154, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    • Handle: RePEc:elg:eechap:19935_7
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    File URL: https://www.elgaronline.com/doi/10.4337/9781800370395.00015
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