“Perception Is Shaped by Lived Experience” – Dr. Oscar Otele on Kenyan Perspectives from Afrobarometer Round 10

On March 27, 2025, Global Neighbours hosted an exclusive lecture and discussion titled “Kenyan Perspectives on China: Findings from Afrobarometer Round 10” at its office in Vienna. The keynote speaker was Dr. Oscar Otele, Head of the Department of Political Sciences and Public Administration at the University of Nairobi and Co-National Investigator for Afrobarometer, a pan-African, nonpartisan survey research network.

Afrobarometer has been conducting public opinion surveys across Africa since 1999, offering reliable and timely insights into democracy, governance, the economy, and societal issues. The event provided a rare opportunity to examine how Kenyans perceive China’s expanding footprint in their country—through the lens of the latest Afrobarometer data collected in 2024.

Dr. Otele presented the most recent findings from Kenya, focusing on citizens’ views toward China’s political and economic influence. More than 7 out of 10 Kenyans see China as highly influential, and positive perceptions have grown since 2021, especially among younger, urban, and educated groups. Compared to other global actors, China is viewed as more influential than the U.S. or the EU. As Dr. Otele emphasized during the presentation, “perception is shaped by lived experience” — meaning that people’s views are often grounded in their personal encounters with Chinese infrastructure, products, or engagement in daily life.

Participants discussed whether and how public personal experiences, media narratives, and geopolitical developments shape perceptions of China. The conversation touched on generational and regional differences, the role of African students returning from China, and the impact of China’s growing presence in infrastructure, business, and everyday life on local attitudes. Several questions addressed the scope and methodology of the survey, including how political circumstances affect the ability to conduct surveys in certain countries.

Participants included representatives from the Austrian Development Agency, Africa-UniNet (OeAD), Federal Ministry of Defence – Institute for Peace Support and Conflict Management, GlobalConnect, the Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation (VIDC), the Embassy of the Republic of the Sudan, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, and other stakeholders from business, politics, media and civil society.

The event reaffirmed Global Neighbours’ role as a convening space for dialogue on global affairs, with a strong focus on perspectives from emerging markets.

Organizer: Global Neighbours GmbH/e.V.
Guest Speaker: Dr. Oscar Otele, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Date & Location: March 27, 2025 | Global Neighbours Office, Johannesgasse 15/3/12, 1010 Vienna, Austria