13 November 2006. Suddenly it is the big news. I cannot switch on any international news television channel without being accosted with the news of China moving in on the African markets. Interviews with Africans doing one thing or another in China and praising China's new found interest in Africa. My president (Museveni) even got himself time on the big one: CNN. They did not ask him about his leadership skills or the ongoing peace talks. The journalist went on and on about the whole Chinese thing and what good it would do or not.
Of course it was right during the peak time when they had that thing going on in South Africa about China and their role in development on the African continent. If you ask me, I did not watch any of that but I got lots and lots of information in my inbox about it, I did not even solicit for this information. Anyway back to my president, believe me he is good at blowing the trumpet for anyone who brings more money to Uganda. Even if it will be hard to prove what more loans, grants and the like are doing for Uganda. But anything for Museveni that is money with less strings attached is worth shouting about how good, lovely, life saving, messiah...... oh the list goes on and that is exactly what he did. But was I surprised, or am I surprised? Certainly not!

It was rare to see a Chinese

When I was growing up, it was rare to see a Chinese in Uganda, come to think about it, until I was past twelve, I could have only come across no more than five Chinese, the number could even be lower than that. Now they are everywhere, scattered all over Uganda they are like a plague. They are even in downtown Kampala! Trust me even a hardcore Ugandan can fail to survive here, but they do, very well. They have taken over the small low cost shops originally meant for the Ugandan business people struggling to earn a living from shops set up with low capital to set up shops and all. Is this a good thing? Should we Africans be frightened?

'Made in China'

First they came to construct the State House in Entebbe, there they were a rare sight, they stuck mostly to the construction sight. Then they clinched the deal to construct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the city centre, a grant of sorts, they came in flocks! Right from the builders, down to the nails they used, they all had the imprints of "made in China". Even the wheelbarrows used at the construction sight were from China and to crown it all, they came in doves, some even with families. And guess what, they all stayed after the job was done! Now when you go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you are not left in doubt as to who did the construction, how can you when signs in the building are in Chinese!

Useless goods

The thing is, the Chinese have invaded us, in large numbers and if that is a good or bad thing, there sure is debate on that. Short of setting up more and more Chinese restaurants which sell cheap Chinese dishes, they have brought into Chinese medication, not bad. But along this they have brought in their rather cheap and very useless goods. The Chinese shops are the only ones I know that can sell you a new pair of shoes for as little as Ugandan Shillings 5000 (about 2 and a half Euros). And of course these shoes will certainly not last more than a few days. Cheap and certainly useless goods. They have also managed to ensure that the number of electronics that are fake and bear names such as SQNY are in plenty in shops and on the streets. Now we have to double check brandy names just in case a Q could fool you into thinking you are buying the real thing.

'Horror stories'

The invasion of the Chinese reminds me so much of talk I used to hear about the Indians, how they came in and took over. Years after they had been told to leave the country by dictator president Idi Amin. "Horror stories" of how they came into the country and took over still made very great fire side stories, especially for us the younger ones who were not born at the time and did not experience this. I wonder are we headed the same way when it comes to this all new and over hyped Chinese "invasion"?

Superpower

But what beats me is the fact that while the Chinese can waltz in and out of our country without as much as being asked to prove why they are really coming in, we cannot do the same in their countries. Interestingly, they are turning into another sort of superpower. But should we let them come in and take over? Should we be so desperate we sell the very soul of our countries just for a little more money? Should we not see through grants and huge loans that come say after the possibility of oil in South Western Uganda is the hot talk? Should we not fight to deny the, to walk all over us and use us for what we have? If you ask me, as far as the Chinese go, they are trying so hard, in fact so hard they end up worse than the other super powers. Somehow the Chinese issue, does not smell so sweet after all, but what are we going to do?

 

Turning east

When Zimbabwe was celebrating 25 years of independence last May, President Robert Mugabe said, "We have turned east, where the sun rises, and given our back to the west, where the sun sets." Is turning East a viable option for countries such as mine and other African countries, considering what we have been through when we faced the West, will the East provide better options, save us or the continent? Does China have the power to provide what the West for so many years has failed to give Africa? And is it fair enough that Africa gladly opens its doors to China without being suspicious?