A Chinese-built bridge collapsed in Kenya two weeks after it was inspected by the president

Quartz Africa ^ | June 28, 2017 | Lily Kuo

[TigerLikesRooster]

corrupt local politicians + chicom money = disaster

[TigerLikesRooster]

P!

[TigerClaws]

Kenyans seem equally incompetent there as here.

Chinese products are crap. All the goods they ship here is 3rd rate - Chinese dry wall, appliances that are built to last all of 3 years.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Kenyans seem equally incompetent

I suspect Chinese bought off local politicians, who let Chinese have their way.

[clearcarbon]

Civil engineering with dollar store quality materials has consequences. Biodegradable bridges are not very useful.

[easternsky]

Was Obama there when it collapsed, he was over there somewhere? lol

[JohnyBoy]

Chinese company screwed up a bridge in the San Fransisco bay area too. Costing almost as much to fix it as it cost to build it.

[BwanaNdege]

I suspect Chinese bought off local politicians, who let Chinese have their way.

BINGO!

Back in the 1980's, the EU & Great Britain (IIRC) were providing funding for a Yugoslav company to rebuild. Kenya's major (only) highway from Nairobi to Uganda. When I stopped by to take a look (back in the late 1960's I inspected road construction and was now curious), they were beginning to pave using 1.5" asphalt over a compacted earth base. NO gravel and NO soil cement!

When I asked the Yugoslav construction superintendent about it, his reply was "Go away, don't bother me."

A year later, that section had a detour due to the pavement breaking up.

Of the total "cost" to build the road, probably half went into materials, equipment, overhead and labor. 10% for legitimate profit. The rest went as graft, both to government officials and to the contractor

[Drago]

President Kenyatta needs to stick to his day job....”bridge inspector” apparently isn’t his calling.

[Tucker39]

Reading this story begs a question in MY mind: How stable, and immovable, and lasting will those chinese-built islands prove to be that were recently constructed in the Spratleys in the South China Sea?

[FreedomPoster]

How about the Seven Gorges Dam? There’s a project where a severe failure would have some serious hard-to-sweep-under-the-rug-and-ignore consequences.

[Fresh Wind]

And Chinese cars will be arriving here soon.

[Fresh Wind]

[philman_36]

bridge collapsed in Kenya

Was it named after the native son, Obama?

[Brooklyn Attitude]

Why do the Kenyans need the Chinese to build their bridges?

[HighSierra5]

We can only hope that he was underneath.

[HighSierra5]

We can only hope that he was underneath.

[yldstrk]

embarrasing.........

[KavMan]

Corruption

Cutting corners, using cheaper product for higher profitability etc...

[Dixie Yooper]

As we rebuild our economic system, here's something to remember: Quality = Fulfilled Satisfaction. By the way, China is also building major dams, for countries in Asia, Africa and South America... If we're not careful, they might start winning bids here.