Africa needs more help with its Chinese debts

A cargo train departs the port depot in Mombasa for Nairobi in 2017: Vanity projects have ballooned into costly white elephants.

What you need to know:

Kenyan officials said last month they would ask China to extend the repayment period on $5 billion worth of loans, with an incoming cabinet minister telling parliament that the debt is "choking" Nairobi's economy.