Kenyan employees of Chinese firms honored in speech contest on Belt and Road Initiative

Published: October 16,2023

Concilia Owire, a female locomotive driver at the Standard Gauge Railway, gives a speech during the Belt and Road “My Chinese Story” Speech Competition in Nairobi, Kenya, on Oct. 13, 2023. Ten employees of Chinese companies based in Kenya were awarded Friday after they emerged winners in the Belt and Road “My Chinese Story” Speech Competition, organized by the Kenya-China Economic and Trade Association. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)

Ten employees of Chinese companies based in Kenya were awarded Friday after they emerged winners in the Belt and Road “My Chinese Story” Speech Competition, organized by the Kenya-China Economic and Trade Association.

The inaugural edition of the contest began in September where 60 participants emerged victorious in the preliminary rounds and advanced through the intense stages of the semifinals, culminating in the selection of the final 10 contestants.

Shakeel Shabbir, the chairman of the Kenya-China Friendship Group of Parliament, said that the competition was a pointer to the benefits that Kenya has received, from being part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

“China has built many infrastructure projects in Kenya such as the Nairobi Expressway that has helped reduce congestion, especially in areas with high traffic,” Shabbir said.

He urged Kenya to participate in Belt and Road cooperation to enable the newly constructed infrastructure to facilitate the movement of both goods and people within the country.

The Kenya-China Economic and Trade Association said that the competition is a tribute to the exceptional contributions made by tens of thousands of Kenyan employees of Chinese enterprises who have worked to strengthen Sino-Kenyan relations.

Patrick Nyangweso, the chief executive officer of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a trade lobby group, said that from the perspective of the private sector, the BRI has been a game changer for the East African country’s economy.

“The projects resulting from the BRI have transformed the economy by expanding opportunities for goods to reach lucrative markets,” Nyangweso added.

He said that some of the projects that Kenya has realized as a result of being part of the BRI include the modern Standard Gauge Railway connecting the port of Mombasa and the inland port of Naivasha.

China proposed the BRI in 2013 with the aim of boosting development around the world. Over the past decade, China has signed BRI cooperation documents with more than 150 countries and 30-plus international organizations.

Concilia Owire, who took first place in the competition, said that the contest enabled her to share with the public the benefits that the BRI has brought into her life.

The 29-year-old who was the first female locomotive driver at the SGR currently works as an assistant manager at Afristar Railway Operations Company which operates the SGR. Owire was also appointed as the main driver of the maiden trip of the Nairobi-Mombasa SGR when it was launched in May 2017. “I stand here as one of the many Kenyans who have benefited from technology transfer from the SGR,” she said.

Owire told Xinhua that the BRI has enabled her to become a role model to many young Kenyan girls and also serve as a railway envoy to show the benefits of the modern railway.

Jeanee May Ongiyo, who is the head of public relations as well as the spokesperson at MOJA Expressway Company which operates the Nairobi Expressway, said that Kenya has reaped fruits as a result of being part of the BRI.

“We now have modern highways that have helped to improve connectivity between many regions of the country,” she added. 

Concilia Owire, a female locomotive driver at the Standard Gauge Railway, receives an interview after taking first place in the Belt and Road “My Chinese Story” Speech Competition in Nairobi, Kenya, on Oct. 13, 2023. Ten employees of Chinese companies based in Kenya were awarded Friday after they emerged winners in the Belt and Road “My Chinese Story” Speech Competition, organized by the Kenya-China Economic and Trade Association. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)

Winners show their certificates and trophies at a award ceremony of the Belt and Road “My Chinese Story” Speech Competition in Nairobi, Kenya, Oct. 13, 2023. Ten employees of Chinese companies based in Kenya were awarded Friday after they emerged winners in the Belt and Road “My Chinese Story” Speech Competition, organized by the Kenya-China Economic and Trade Association. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)

Winners receive certificates at a award ceremony of the Belt and Road “My Chinese Story” Speech Competition in Nairobi, Kenya, on Oct. 13, 2023. Ten employees of Chinese companies based in Kenya were awarded Friday after they emerged winners in the Belt and Road “My Chinese Story” Speech Competition, organized by the Kenya-China Economic and Trade Association. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)

Concilia Owire (C), a female locomotive driver at the Standard Gauge Railway, speaks after taking first place in the Belt and Road “My Chinese Story” Speech Competition in Nairobi, Kenya, on Oct. 13, 2023. Ten employees of Chinese companies based in Kenya were awarded Friday after they emerged winners in the Belt and Road “My Chinese Story” Speech Competition, organized by the Kenya-China Economic and Trade Association. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)

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