Delegation of Kenyan Ministry of Local Government in China

At the invitation of the CPAFFC, the delegation of the Kenyan Ministry of Local Government headed by its minister Musikari N. Kombo paid a friendly visit to Beijing and Guangdong from March 19 to 25.

Abdul’ahat Abdurixit, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and president of the Chinese-African People’s Friendship Association, Liu Shijin, deputy director of the Development Research Centre of the State Council, Lin Musheng, deputy governor of Guangdong, met with the delegation. CPAFFC President Chen Haosu and Vice President Wang Yunze met with and entertained the delegation. The delegation made visits to the Development Research Centre of the State Council, the Beijing International Institute for Urban Development, the Guangdong Provincial Department of Construction and the Guangzhou Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau.

China-Kenya Friendship Praised

Minister Kombo said many times at meetings and talks, the friendly contact between Kenya and China has a long history. As early as 600 years ago, Chinese navigator Zheng He and his fleet had been to Kenya, reaching the present day city Malindi. Now sunken boats of those days can be found in the nearby sea. The minister viewed his visit to China as a friend-making trip. He hoped to get to know more Chinese friends and publicize Kenya so that more Chinese would go to Kenya for sight-seeing and making investment. At the same time he would take home with him the hospitality and friendship of the Chinese people and let Kenya-China friendship be passed on generation after generation.

Minister Kombo thanked the Chinese Government and people for the efforts they have made to help Kenya with its development. He mentioned time and again that it is the result of China’s assistance that Kenya has got its state stadium and the highway linking Nairobi and Mombasa.

Learning Experience in Urban Development and Environmental Protection

On the delegation were officials from Kenya’s Ministry of Local Government, mayors and secretaries general of the governments of Webuye and other cities. They were eager to know about urban planning and environmental protection in China and learn relevant experience. Through their visits to the Development Research Centre of the State Council and the Beijing International Institute for Urban Development, they learned China’s policies for regional economic development, especially the relevant measures for solving problems arising in the process of urbanization. Minister Kombo said that China’s development, especially urban development is planned and carried out step by step and that this scientific and serious attitude is worth learning by Kenya.

While in Guangdong, the delegation called on the Provincial Department of Construction, where they listened to the introduction of the policies on urban planning, environmental protection, waste and polluted water treatment, housing and house renting, etc. They showed special interest in the policies on housing and house renting. They inquired about the relations among the builders, the users and the owners of houses as well as funds for the construction. They pointed out that at present in Kenya, large numbers of poor people live in slums in the cities, which is difficult for management and affects peace and order, and that they benefited a lot from Guangdong’s experience in managing “villages within the cities”. The delegation also had a discussion with leaders of the Guangzhou Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau and listened to their briefings on different ways of treatment of garbage such as burying, incineration, etc. Leader of the delegation Kombo spoke highly of China’s awareness, advanced technology and experience in pollution control and environmental protection and expressed the hope to cooperate with the departments concerned in this area.

The delegation went to Guangzhou’s Donghu Neighbourhood Office to learn about its work of providing various services for the residents. The members of the delegation praised the grass-roots organization for providing all kinds of services including legal consultation, business management and organization of community activities. When visiting a square in the vicinity, Minister Kombo, with great interest, played ping pong with the people there who were doing morning exercise.