China development model choice for Uganda's rapid transformation—Minister Muruuli Mukasa

________________

Public service minister Muruli Mukasa believes that Uganda, in its ambitious drive to rapid transformation, can draw valuable lessons from China’s development model.

Mukasa, who led a delegation of 23 Ugandan officials to Beijing for a ministerial conference recently, confessed that they had been exposed to the fact that patriotism and collective responsibility, with every citizen contributing to national progress, was at the pinnacle development revolution of the People’s Republic of China.

The Beijing visit, according to the minister, offered the Kampala delegation valuable lessons in China’s leadership, planning, environmental sustainability and innovation.

“It also strengthened our faith that science, innovation and home-grown technology can drive sustainable growth. Development planning must be bottom-up, engaging local leaders, experts and communities, while political support ensures implementation. Environmental preservation should accompany urban and rural development,” Mukasa said.

He added that it was a learning experience that strategic partnerships can facilitate technology transfer and skills development for young professionals.

From the bustling streets of Beijing to the high-speed rail factories of Qingdao, the delegation witnessed firsthand how deliberate strategy, science-driven solutions, and a deep love for the country can transform a nation in just a few decades.

The delegation was drawn from various ministries and government agencies, including public service, health, finance, the Presidency, works and transport and the Office of the Prime Minister.

Field visits

Mukasa used the occasion to also convey warm greetings from President Yoweri Museveni to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the people of China.

He expressed gratitude to Cui Lin, the Deputy Director General of the International Co-operation Centre in China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), for organising the workshop.

Minister Muruli Mukasa at CRRC factory.

The arrangement combined classroom sessions with field visits, offering participants first-hand experience of China’s transformative governance and development journey.

“The team toured Qingdao, a scenic coastal city in Shandong Province, visiting China Railway Rolling Corporation (CRRC), the world’s leading manufacturer of high-speed, bullet, and locomotive trains and Qingdao Green Sail Recycled Building Materials Co. Ltd, a company that turns waste into strong, lightweight bricks and blocks,” Mukasa said.

Warm bilateral ties

For over six decades, Uganda and China have enjoyed warm diplomatic and development cooperation, especially in infrastructure, trade, health, agriculture, education, and technology.

Chinese firms have executed landmark projects in the country, including roads (Entebbe-Kampala Expressway, Oil Roads, etc), power dams such as Karuma Hydro Power Dam, industrial parks, and hospitals.

The co-operation has evolved from traditional aid to a partnership focused on mutual benefit, technology transfer and capacity building.

Hon. Muruli Mukasa.

The minister noted that the workshop was part of a long-standing Chinese practice of inviting ministers and senior officials from partner countries to exchange ideas and experiences.

“We came here to learn how we can use the Chinese experience to carry out the needed transformation in our country,” Mukasa said.

“This year, we focused on governance, the green aspect of development, manufacturing, and the transport revolution.’’

Impressive achievements

China’s achievements are impressive, with a population of 1.4 billion, nearly a fifth of the world’s total population. It eradicated extreme poverty 10 years ahead of schedule, making a historic contribution to global poverty alleviation.

It is undergoing a comprehensive green transformation, integrating environmental protection into every aspect of economic and social development.

Its renewable energy sector leads the world in speed and scale, significantly reducing clean energy costs.

According to Mukasa, the most valuable lesson was that China faced many of the same challenges Uganda grapples with today, food shortages, floods and underdeveloped infrastructure, yet overcame them through good planning and innovation.

“If they can share how they overcome these challenges, we can adapt some of their experiences to our own context,” he said.

Mukasa added, “Our planning authority could coordinate all ministries, departments, and agencies, keep track of implementation, and take quick action where things are not moving. This would avoid the disjointed efforts we sometimes see.”

Environmental sustainability was a recurring theme during the workshop. The minister was struck by how China integrates environmental protection into urban planning, agriculture, and industrial development.

From preserving wetlands alongside factories to planting vegetation along highways and in cities, China ensures that development and environmental conservation advance together.

“In Beijing, the air is clear; there’s no littering or plastic waste in the streets. They have discipline and make the environment part and parcel of every programme,” he observed. “This is something we can adopt in Kampala and other Ugandan cities,” he said.

The delegation appreciated that China, with both standard and metre-gauge railway systems, has achieved speed, efficiency, and safety in rail transport.

“We could benefit from acquiring their facilities when we have the resources, and by sending our young engineers here to learn. This knowledge could support projects like the Standard Gauge Railway and the railway college planned for Tororo,” he said.

While visiting recycling plants, the delegation learned how waste can be turned into valuable construction materials without destroying natural ecosystems.

“They have made sure the swamp remains, doing its job of filtering water, while also making it greener,” the minister noted.

He suggested Uganda could adopt such models in areas prone to landslides or earthquakes, such as Bundibugyo and Bududa.