He however says the machines have helped his district to grade various roads in Kitagata and Kasana sub counties.
“The short term is about opening roads. In long term, it is about sufficient and effective motorable road networks right from access roads to the feeder roads then joining the trunk roads,” says Godfrey further noting that the machines are helping them to save 5 to 7 million Ugandan shillings on every road compared to the old system of grading roads.
Such funds could be injected in delivering others services to the local people. Flavia says such funds should be used to improve health services by equipping all health centers with necessary drugs and health workers.
Contrary to Flavia’s wishes, Godfrey says this means they can now grade more kilometers of roads than they would have done.
Flavia, knows that China has not supported Uganda in the road construction sector only. She actually knows that her bicycle was made in China and several other products she owns at home ranging from the lantern to the mobile phones, clothes, shoes and kitchen utensils among others.
Such products are imported and sold in Uganda by thousands of Chinese living in the country. There are actually 7,000 Chinese living and operating over 100 businesses in Kampala alone according to Uganda’s Vice President Edward Ssekandi.
Ssekandi was in February 2013, presiding over the launch of the China-Africa friendship association at Hotel Africana in Kampala.
He noted that the friendship between the two countries has grown into a successful and fruitful relationship in the 50 years of interaction as nations and peoples.
Speaking during this occasion, the Chinese Ambassador to Uganda Zhao Ya Li said China holds Uganda in high esteem for her contribution to the peace and security on the African continent and pledged continued socio-economic, cultural and bilateral relations between the two countries.
The man who knows better the socio-economic, cultural and bilateral relations between Uganda and China is prof. Ephraim Kamumtu, Uganda’s minister of Water and Environment.
He says this friendship can be traced from the time of Uganda’s independence and even before.
“China was one of the first countries to recognize Uganda’s independence and establish an embassy after independence,” he notes.
He cites an example of rice, noting that China was the country that introduced rice crop in Uganda at Kibimba Rice Scheme in Eastern Uganda. Prof. Kamuntu goes on to list other areas of support Uganda has received from China to include construction of Nambole National Stadium which seats about 40,000 people, oil and gas exploration, and construction of health centers among others.
It is time to leave Flavia to ride her bicycle since we have reached a sloppy area. But before I leave, I needed to find out the country she knows most: USA or China. “China” she answered.
As I raised my right hand high above my head to bide farewell to Flavia, I truly confirmed from her answer the global power shift from the west to the east and Chinese as the shining example.
Heavy rain affects traffic in S China
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