Nairobi, Aug. 16 -- Kenya's imports from China jumped by 34.7 percent in the first five months of 2026, coinciding with the rollout and preparation of key infrastructure projects under President William Ruto's administration.

China's exports to Kenya climbed to Sh336.2 billion between January and May, from Sh249.5 billion in the same period last year, data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows, lifting its share of the import market to a record 25.3 percent.

China's share has climbed steeply in three years from 16.6 percent in January-May 2023 to 19.1 percent in 2024 and 22.5 percent last year, before reaching the levels this year.

The increase this year outpaced growth in the overall import bill, which rose by 19.8 p...