Making Kenya 'the China of Africa'

Young manager says knowledge gained from Chinese trainers will help raise productivity at home

Three weeks in China enlightened Benson Masaro about the possibilities of Kenya's relationship with the country.

The junior human resources officer at China Road and Bridge Corp, the firm building a rail line in Kenya, was among 29 foreigners from 11 countries who took classes in railway construction and management at Southwest Jiaotong University in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

The 28-year-old says that during his summer trip, he marveled at the technological advances of China's railroad construction. But he says he thinks the underlying key to this success lies is diligence and patience.

"These qualities have accelerated their innovation process. I believe Kenyans can emulate it, too. Culture cannot be a barrier to development."

Although such qualities exist in Kenyan workers, he says they are not as valued as in China. Following his training, he says he intends to help change that, particularly when doing job evaluations and recruitment.

The $3.8 billion railway project promises to engage 30,000 local workers at the peak of construction.

The world is developing at a fast pace, and Africa needs progressive and efficient workers to propel the continent forward, Masaro says. This year Kenya joined the league of lower-middle-income economies, according to World Bank estimates.

One of the biggest challenges bedeviling the continent is high youth unemployment. It is estimated that youths comprise about 70 percent of the total population.

The challenge is compounded by the obvious lack of skills. Several foreign companies undertaking construction projects have decried the lack of skills among local workers, which can result in delays in project completion and sometimes means workers need to be brought in from overseas.

Masaro considers himself lucky. After completing his elementary and secondary education in Kenya, he undertook his undergraduate studies at Bugema University in Uganda. The Chinese construction firm hired him one year after he received a degree in finance and human resources management.

His role was to assist in pooling workers with the right skill sets. "Most of the time I am in the field solving issues that arise, such as transfers and reallocation of duties."

He says getting the chance to attend the seminar was exciting. He was among two Kenyan workers chosen for this particular training.

He arrived at Jiaotong University on July 17. Other students from Africa were drawn from Uganda, Nigeria, Djibouti, Tanzania and Rwanda. The rest were from South America. "All of us had railway construction projects running in our countries."

The professors had a good command of English, so it was the main teaching language. Technical terms were clearly elaborated.

They had their first experience with high-speed trains. They visited one site after another, all at different development stages. One thing stood out: Construction was mostly done by machines. "Manual labor is less that 10 percent, consequently leading to flawless workmanship and quick project completion," he says, adding that each project is allocated a completion period of only five years.

The rail system in China is massive. "It is a labyrinth that is seamlessly connected and reaching far-flung places," he says. He was amazed at how accurately track is laid on mountainous surfaces, as well as how it cuts through mountains in long tunnels. "These tunnels have plentiful fresh air, quite contrary to cities, where there are pockets of pollution."

The short stint was an eye-opener, and he came back with a mission: to push up the productivity of local workers.

"I believe Kenyans have the relevant skills. What is therefore needed is an understanding that the higher the productivity, the more wealth is created, hence prosperity."

He will encourage local workers to learn every skill possible from their Chinese counterparts, he says. This is because the visitors are familiar with the journey toward technological advancement and the requirements. "The machinery we use here is antiquated in their country. But they know our limitations and requirements in transitioning toward an advanced society. Otherwise how will we possess any innovation?"

Masaro says productivity should be key in job evaluations. For new recruits, diligence and willingness to learn will be examined through practical and theoretical tests. Working under minimal or no supervision will be targeted in the long run. "Patience will be instrumental to achieving this transformation. I have seen it working in China, so I know our endgame."

China has been transformed with patience, and this is evident in the quality engineering skills and craftsmanship, Masaro says. "The economic transformation was not achieved at a blink of an eye but in two decades, a testament of their zeal."

He believes Kenya is primed to replicate this success by starting with its training institutions. Masaro says that the Railway Training Institute, a state-sponsored technical institution specializing in transport and logistics, should be upgraded to a university.

"This is what happened to Jiaotong University. It started as a technical institution and, despite upheavals, resiliently grew to be the backbone of railway development in the country."

His employer, China Road and Bridge, hires graduates of RTI, especially graduates in electrical, mechanical and civil engineering. But more needs to be done, he says.

"Heavy investment is needed in research and development. Visiting professors from China can be invited to ensure graduates have relevant skills needed in the job market.

"China is a repository for information in economic development. We do not have to reinvent the wheel, but join the bandwagon from where we can comfortably fit and absorb their know-how. I am sure we can be the China of Africa in terms of expertise in infrastructure development and the manufacturing sector."

Masaro's own training is a good example. He is one of the total of 19 Kenyan employees of CRBC who will have participated by the end of this year in such training programs in China, which are sponsored by that country's Ministry of Commerce. The total number of Kenyans participating in such programs is expected to reach 534 this year, twice that in 2014.

On average, about 250 Kenyans participated in the program each year from 2011 to 2014. The program covers fields such as agriculture, industrialization, economy and trade, medical treatment and public health, infrastructure construction, professional skills, education and female capacity building. This year, excellent Kenyan employees in Chinese companies were also included in the program.

Masaro says he believes progress from the interaction of Kenyans and Chinese in the standard gauge railway project in Kenya is already visible. "Most workers are qualified in time management," he says, adding that this is a big change. "We are growing together. They are helping us to grow."

Masaro says that the pool of local workers hired for the project will transform the region's construction sector. The ripple effect will become clear from the ease with which future projects will be planned and completed using local expertise.

lucymorangi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 10/01/2015 page28)