At least 169 people in Kenya were killed in floods triggered by heavy rains that began to hit East African countries in middle March.
The floods have also affected more than 60,000 people in the country, including those living at Nairobi's Mathare Slum, one of the worst-hit areas.
Many residents at the low-lying slum were displaced as their houses were built along the river and inundated by floods when the rain fell.
An elementary school was converted into a makeshift shelter for the displaced at the slum, and the government has sent food and other life supplies to them.
"The flood was rampant. We took nothing when we fled home. We had no time to save anything. Some even had to jump out from the house roof, and came to take shelter here," said a flood-affected resident.
The heavy rain also caused water logging in downtown Nairobi, resulting in travel difficulties for residents.
According to Kenya's meteorological department, the rain is expected to last till early May.
Kenya's floods kill 169, affect 60,000
Tanzania's Minister for Foreign Affairs, January Yusuf Makamba, praised the robust and evolving partnership between Tanzania and China during an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), reflecting on the historical principles guiding China-Africa relations and outlining key cooperative projects.
Tanzania was the first African country that Chinese President Xi Jinping visited after assuming the presidency in 2013.
During that visit, President Xi introduced the principles of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith for China's Africa policy. These principles have since become the foundation of China's cooperation with developing countries.
Makamba emphasized the significance of these principles in the interview on Sunday, the day before he wrapped up a five-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. He praised these principles for their depth and relevance to Africa's historical context.
"These principles are very key, because we in Africa are very sensitive to partnerships. Because of our history, we have a glorious history as a continent, but also we have a history of being colonized and being exploited. The principles that President Xi elaborated in Dar es Salaam in 2013, that underpin the relation between China and Africa, are very good because they take into consideration our history. So, over the past 10 years, since these principles were established, we've seen the transformation of China-Africa relations in a positive way," said Makamba.
Makamba also highlighted the tangible benefits of China's projects in Africa.
"The projects that China wants to do in Africa are beneficial to us. The interaction between China, and the engagement between China and Africa, is one that is based on mutual respect and mutual benefit as well. So the Dar es Salaam Consensus comes up with a new blueprint for global order; the international order that is based on openness, transparency, mutual respect, equity, fairness. These are the things that we've always wanted, and we hope that all Africans, together with China and other international partners, will coalesce around the Dar es Salaam Consensus as a new way to organize the global community," he added.
Reflecting on specific cooperative ventures, Makamba spoke about the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority, popularly known as TAZARA, a bi-national railway linking the Southern Africa Regional transport network to Eastern Africa's seaport of Dar es Salaam, offering both freight and passenger transportation services between and within Tanzania and Zambia.
"TAZARA is of tremendous symbolic significance to us, and it's an emotional project for Tanzanians, Zambians, and of course, Chinese. This one was immediately post-independence, so it was designed to help the two countries develop their economies. Since then, it has contributed immensely towards building that corridor for exports and import of products from overseas. And China's contribution in that respect has been phenomenal," Makamba explained.
Tanzania's foreign minister highlights strong ties with China
