By John V Sserwaniko
According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs PS Amb. Patrick Mugoya, the three day visit to Uganda of Chinese vice Premier Wang Yang is something all Ugandans should be proud of. And indeed Wanga, who will be President Museveni’s guest between today Wednesday 13th June and Saturday 16th June, is no doubt a big man in the Chinese government. As Vice Premier, he is ranked number four in the Chinese hierarchy-just immediately below President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang. During a specially-convened news conference on Tuesday in MoFA’s Crane Boardroom, Mugoya (flanked by three other top technocrats) labored to explain why this was a high profile visit. He implored the media to positively report about the event in order to deepen the Uganda public’s appreciation of China-Uganda bilateral relations. China has 4 Vice Premiers of whom Wang Yang is the most influential and most trusted by both President Xi and Premier Li. During his stay here, Mr. Wang will hold several meetings with President Museveni, Vice President Edward Sekandi, Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda and Speaker Rebecca Kadaga. Along with President Museveni, the Chinese big man will preside over the commissioning of the 53km Kampala-Entebbe Express Highway whose construction was funded with a Chinese loan of $476m. The contractor was China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Ltd, a globally leading firm when it comes to designing and constructing major bridges, airports, marine ports and highways. In existence for so many decades, CCCC easily ranks among the world’s wealthiest and most impactful infrastructure investors. It’s a publicly-listed company in which the Chinese government retains 63.8% shareholding through its enterprise called China Communications Construction Group (CCCG). Notwithstanding reservations by the Works Ministry/sector leadership that the project isn’t ready, Mr. Wang will commission the Entebbe Express way at a pompous ceremony slated to take place at Mpala Toll Gates along Entebbe road.
WHY THE HURRY?
Whereas Mugoya downplayed the Works sector leadership’s reservations about premature commissioning by saying it was important to take advantage of such a big man’s visit to commission the project, because it only raises its profile because of the resultant publicity by the world media Wang is coming with, the Chinese are in business and selfish interest can’t be ruled out. This news website has it on good authority that the Chinese government in Beijing has for months been using diplomatic channels to cajole President Museveni to endorse CCCC’s demands to bring forward the road’s commissioning notwithstanding strong reservations registered by UNRA and the Works sector. Why would they be in a hurry? It’s the same question we put to Amb Mugoya during the Monday conference and, being the diplomat he is, he said he wasn’t aware of the road not being ready for commissioning. He nevertheless said even if this were true, there was nothing fundamentally wrong capitalizing on Mr. Wang’s high profile visit to commission the road even when the project is some months away from 100% completion. The thing is that CCCC, which we impeccably understand is already furious over the fact the Entebbe Express project has taken longer than initially planned, wants to get out and chase for other equally big, or even larger, infrastructure projects in the region. Actually regarding the delay, the furious CCCC bosses are already petitioning the Arbitration Court demanding over $155m in prolongation costs. The Ugandan taxpayer will have to pay because the Chinese are blaming delayed completion on land compensation disputes for the Project Affected Persons (PAPs) which was the responsibility of UNRA management. Reliable inside sources tell this news website that CCCC had asked to be given the job to construct Kibuye-Busega road in return for them to forfeit their right to sue for prolongation costs but being the assertive uncompromising woman she is, UNRA ED Allen Kagina wouldn’t have any of that. We reached out to UNRA seeking clarification on this impending prolongation costs dispute with CCCC but up to now the Authority team hasn’t replied to our questions that were sent via email (on their insistence). As reported in our Wednesday 30th May story (titled M7, UNRA Disagree on Entebbe Express Road Opening Date), CCCC is understood to be desirous to use the commissioning publicity to enrich their business profile showing the major road projects they have recently accomplished in the EAC region. This boosts their bidding for subsequent jobs within Uganda and elsewhere in the region. This, multiple sources tell this website, is the reason the Chinese, famous for being very shrewd when it comes to business, are desperate to have Entebbe Express Highway commissioned today and not tomorrow. This is why CCCC sought and easily obtained the support of the government back home in Beijing which has been using diplomatic channels to pressurize Museveni to acquiesce to the public commissioning of a road that is clearly not yet completed. Beyond the business dividend, it’s also good for the prestige of CCCC, the Chinese people and government to have such a huge public project commissioned at earliest opportunity.
OTHER WANG ENGAGEMENTS;
While in Uganda, apart from appearing with President Museveni to commission the road ahead of its proper completion, Mr. Wang will also visit the Gen Salim Saleh-supervised Kapeka Industrial Park/Complex located at a place called Namunkekera in Nakaseke district. It’s another massive public works project that was funded with Chinese money and many Chinese investors are already lucratively operating industries there. The Chinese big man will finally join Vice President Edward Sekandi to preside over the Dragon Boat competitions in Entebbe. Amb Mugoya sees all these engagements as a powerful opportunity to manifest and deepen bilateral relations between Kampala and Beijing. “China is such a big power politically, diplomatically and even economically and it’s really significant that the country’s number 4 is staying in our country to interact with our leaders for all those days. Many other countries would be grateful to have such an opportunity,” Mugoya explained.
ABOUT WANG; WHAT MAKES HIM BIG?
As the fast-rising number four in the Chinese political hierarchy, only below President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, Mr. Wang Yang has for long been the leading Beijing negotiator at the US-China Comprehensive Economic Dialogue which commenced in the early 2010s. A leading ideologue among the ruling Communist Party political elite, Wang is famous for holding and publicly expressing profound views supportive of free-markets and gradual political liberalism in China. He is also more tolerant of a vibrant Civil Society compared to his Communist Party peers. A humorous unscripted public speaker, Wang also likes speaking without written speeches. In a public meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, Wang underlined the essentiality of the US-China economic relations. He likened this to the closeness that must spontaneously exist between a couple in marriage. He insisted that confrontation between US and China could only produce undesirable consequences adding that it’s an option “just too expensive” for either of the two countries. So he is a strong believer in de-escalation of whatever tensions that might exist between China and the West.
In the Communist party circles, he is renowned for telling colleagues what he considers to be right as opposed to what will sound “politically correct.” Being a dully elected member of the Politburo Standing Committee, which is China’s top decision-making body, further consolidates Vice Premier Wang’s position up there as 4th most powerful personality in the Chinese political hierarchy. Whatever he will do, say or sign while in Uganda will be fully representative of the Chinese government. He is also the right hand man for both President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang ever accompanying them for high level meetings to discuss complicated delicate stuff with western powers. The 62 year’s growing clout back home in China was manifested last March he was unanimously elected to become China’s top political adviser during the annual session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Polling 100%, Vice Premier Wang Yang got 2,144 votes in an assembly of 2,144 electors. CPPCC is like an electoral college that determines office-holders in China. In his capacity as CPPCC chairman, Mr. Wang Yang oversees the mainland China relations with Taiwan on top of all the delicate affairs relating to religious groups and the 56 ethnic groups across China. Having started out as an active voice in the Chinese Community Party Youth League, Wang considers Hu Jintao as one of the leaders who politically inspired him. Before rising in the Chinese politics nationally, Mr. Wang did plenty of work in the economically very powerful Southern China province of Guangdong. Fascinated by his liberal political and economic views, the western media has always profiled him as one of the leading reformers in China’s top leadership. The Guangdong model which he famously pioneered put emphasis on private enterprise, economic growth and deeper role for civil society. Assigned by leaders at the highest level of the Chinese Communist Party & government, Mr. Wang has over the years undertaken taken several important policy coordination roles in areas like intellectual property, counterfeit goods, poverty reduction and food safety. He has served in the position of Vice Premier now for 5 straight years counting from 2013 and Foreign Affairs PS Patrick Mugoya, himself an accomplished career diplomat of so many years, says Mr. Wang Yang is the highest ranking Chinese leader to ever visit Uganda since the commencement of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Director regional and international political affairs at the Ministry Arthur Kafeero, who flanked Mugoya at the news conference, said that Wang Yang’s visit was symbolic and indicative of the depth to which bilateral relations between Uganda and China have grown. “He is a highly regarded official even in terms of protocol and any country would be excited having him visit because he is simply number four in the Chinese hierarchy,” Ambassador Mugoya emphasized during the Tuesday evening news conference held inside MoFA’s Crane Conference hall. For comments, call/text/whatsapp us on 0703164755.
