Just like China, Africa should choose democratic politics according to its own conditions.

The 18^th National Congress of the CPC (Communist Party of China), otherwise known as the Chinese people’s political consultative conference begun in earnest in Beijing, China. Delegates from all over China gathered at the great hall of the people from November 8 to 14, 2012 to elect new leaders that will serve in the Political Bureau; the highest ruling body of the CPC. Almost concurrently, the People of the United States were conducting their general elections to elect a new president of the United States of America. This leadership transition in the world’s two biggest economies provided an opportunity for both experts and amateurs to analyze the differences in the political systems of the largest and second largest economies. Unfortunately, most analysts, including Africans, have made their analysis from a purely western democratic notion and failed to be objective in their conclusions about the Chinese democratic political system.

Most African states look up to the United States and other western countries as their ideal role models when it comes to political systems and managing their affairs. Democracy was used as a tool to judge good states and rogue states and most African countries copied western political systems in their pure form without considering their own internal conditions. Some have thrived under those systems and have continued to hold peaceful regular general elections, and many others like Kenya have fallen and keep falling victim to ethnic confrontation, social unrest and economic stagnation. 

There is no perfect political system model that can be applied across the world. Every country shall explore the political development road suitable for its own characteristics, as well as its own political logic.Our copycat versions often led to unexpected or even counterproductive effects. No single country has developed or matured enough to conduct the perfect elections, even the United States. 20 States in the United States of America are now petitioning to have them Secede from the federal Union as a result of the just concluded elections. 

As the Communist party of China undertook the once in a decade leadership transition in Beijing, the Chinese leadership reiterated that it will strive to improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the CPC leadership but shall never copy the political systems and development patterns of foreign countries. Admittedly, the Chinese leadership acknowledges that the democratic political system is still developing and needs to be further improved.

Since the ancient Greeks put forward the concept of Democracy more than 2500 years ago, mankind has made steady efforts to attain this ideal, and tremendous progress has been made, however, no country or people have achieved the goal of a perfect democracy. Democracy is a historical process that is relative and keeps with different levels of economic, political and cultural development with the overall development of the society. That is why young democracies face more challenges than the more mature democracies.

The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC is the basic political system in China. Its formation and development have been the inevitable choice of China’s historical development.  China copied the multi-party system from the west after the revolution of 1911, which was later replaced by the Kuomintang’s one-party dictatorship. Both experiments failed. Facing a striking contrast between suppressions and persecutions, class alliances with competing interests and endless chaos, the non-communist parties in China forged bonds of unity and cooperation and stood together with the CPC in the protracted revolutionary struggles that culminated in the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC. 

In 1948, the CPC convened a new political consultative conference establishing a democratic coalition government. It comprised of representatives of the CPC, opposition parties, persons without political affiliation, people’s organizations, and representatives of localities, the people’s liberation army, ethnic minorities, overseas Chinese and all patriotic democrats. Through the CPC, people of all walks of life and groups with diverse faiths, views, affiliations and interests were united. With the realization that China could not be governed with competing interest, the Chinese people forged a strong solidarity not only ideologically and politically, but also organizationally.

The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC is a special feature and advantage of China’s political system. It is the system that has enabled China to grow and achieve its potential. The CPC and the non-communist parties hold democratic consultations on major state issues and make decisions on a scientific basis and exercise supervision over each other, resulting in improved CPC leadership and strengthening other parties’ roles in national affairs. This system has been successful in avoiding political upheavals resulting from multiparty rivalry and fighting for power. It also avoids drawbacks resulting from one party rule and lack of supervision. African countries should learn from the Chinese and forge their own independent path to peace and prosperity and stop following the west blindly.

Thika road is a practical lesson on Contractual work Ethic

The Thika superhighway was officially handed over to the Kenyan government by the three Chinese contractors namely China Wu Yi Company, Shengli Engineering Construction and Synohydro Corporation Ltd. This is a rare occurrence among local contractors. Since the Thika superhighway project commenced about three years ago, Kenyans have witnessed many firsts and have woken up to new possibilities. Ever since the road construction begun, there is no day that the road was closed for motorists and construction never stopped for a single day. Have our local contractors learnt a lesson or two from the Chinese contractors? or will they continue to castigate the government for” sidelining” them”?

Prime-Minister Raila Odinga defended the dominance of Chinese contractors in Kenya citing the government’s frustration with local contractors who cannot deliver quality work on time. Local contractors had gained a reputation of abandoning projects midway, demanding more funds, and constant delays that eventually earned them the tag “cowboy contractors”. He further explained that local rogue contractors had long held the government hostage and their main agenda was to fleece the Kenyan taxpayers. The entrance of Chinese contractors however, has seen a major shift in the country’s infrastructural development. Kenya seems to be making headway in building world-class infrastructure with the Thika superhighway, and many other roads in the countryside having been managed carefully and built to world standards.

A look at Thika Superhighway and other roads built by the Chinese has shown first-class workmanship. The workmanship of the three contractors on the 50.4 km masterwork has been hailed by both the government and the local population in equal measure. Kenyans have commended them for the quality of their work and the speed at which they have delivered the project. The Chinese have strict standards of adhering to schedules and if it were not for the delays in the relocation of services like electricity lines and water pipes, they say they would have progressed much faster. There were challenges owing to the high density of the population, high traffic, underground pipes and networks and so on but the Chinese companies undertook the works with their entire arsenal and never slowed down.

Kenyans can recall that construction workers involved in building of the highway worked day and night and with speed and efficiency to complete the work within the shortest time period. Most of the Chinese workers, who have been there for the entire three years of the project, never went for holidays or took a break. This kind of dedication of time and energy, never seen among local contractors led to rumors that the Chinese contractors are prisoners from China. The Chinese ambassador during the handing over ceremony dispelled these rumors citing the Chinese work ethic and dedication to completion of tasks at hand, a virtue that makes Chinese contractors stand out from the rest.

The Chinese ethic insists on hardwork, diligence and low profile. They focus on excellence and timely completion of tasks. Their willingness to work hard and make maximum use of time has given the Chinese a global reputation of having a stable and industrious work force .They are willing to do more to stay on course and finish their work within the set deadlines. The government’s decision to use Chinese contractors for major projects in the country is informed by their clean record and work ethic among other positive attributes that most local contractor’s lack. The just completed works at Thika superhighway is indeed a wake -up call to local contractors and an opportunity to understand what makes Chinese contractors special and admired all over the world.

Chinese companies have made a lot of headway in the last decade. They have gradually emerged to be the best, most reliable and cost effective. They are among the world’s best in infrastructure and engineering projects. They have successfully bid for World Bank projects and competed globally to emerge tops. Chinese companies are now doing major projects in Africa, Europe, the United States and other continents. They are playing a major role in African development and represent a symbol of Africa’s growth. Local contractors need to learn and make their contribution to our development as well by adapting the hard working culture of the Chinese people and being diligent in their work.

China’s rapid development in the last three decades has been propelled by a dynamic infrastructural development. Kenya’s future will benefit a great deal from China’s lessons and only then will our much envisaged economic take-off be realized. Hard work and diligence are part of the national ethic and consciousness that is vividly reflected in Chinese economy and swift development. For us to reach where China is, we do not need to go to China, but open our eyes to the practical lessons at home and drive our country in the same direction.

Thika Road: Completion of a monument that will symbolize Sino-Kenya ties for many years.

The Nairobi-Thika superhighway is now complete and should be commissioned in three days time. Kenyans have waited patiently and watched with amazement as the once traffic laden dual carriageway transformed into an eight lane superhighway. It’s a two-way six to eight-lane highway attached with side pavements, bicycle lanes, green belt, drainage system, lighting system, road signs and markings, traffic signals, flyovers and underpasses. A look at Thika Superhighway and other roads built by Chinese shows first-class workmanship. The 50.4 km masterwork is spectacular and will remain a permanent monument of the ever improving Sino-Kenya ties. Although several other Chinese companies have undertaken various construction works in Kenya, including the construction of the Moi Sports Center Kasarani, which is a landmark stadium in the country, no other project has brought Chinese construction on the limelight, than the Thika super highway.

The expansion of Thika road, now known as Thika superhighway started about three years ago. The groundbreaking ceremony for the best motorway in East and Central Africa was attended by President Mwai Kibaki in December 2009. There have been delays and challenges owing to the high density of the population, high traffic, underground pipes and drainage networks. Nonetheless, the Chinese companies worked with high efficiency and speed. This road is a great step towards realizing the future dreams of all Kenyans. Challenges associated with traffic snarl-ups and lack of access to markets is now a thing of the past. The road has transformed the landscape in Nairobi and Thika opening up new business opportunities and investments and giving their economies a major boost. It now takes an average of 40 minutes or less to travel between Thika and Nairobi as opposed to 2 hours that it used to take on the same route three years ago; a major boost for traders and industries from both sides as well as workers living and working between the two towns.

The project with the largest amount of investment ever since Kenya’s independence is estimated to have cost around 27 billion Kenya shillings. The African development bank had granted Kenya a loan for the commencement of the project before the Chinese government offered to fund part of the project. The Kenyan government received a concessional loan of 9.44 billion shillings from the Chinese government through the Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM). China, especially in the last ten years, has helped the country finance major infrastructure projects through concession loans and grants and Thika superhighway is the latest landmark in the long friendship between China and Africa. However, it is the aspects that come along with this same project that could lead to stronger relations between the government of Kenya, and that of China. All three companies that were awarded the contracts to construct the three sections of the highway are from china. They include, China Wu Yi Company, Shengli Engineering Construction and Synohydro Corporation Ltd. And the works done so far, have marveled Kenyans and left a lasting impression.

Besides building Thika Road, the three Chinese companies, namely China Wu Yi Company, Sinohydro Corporation Ltd, and Shengli Engineering Construction, have made valuable contributions in various other fields of Kenya’s social and economic development. They have hired over 4000 Kenyan employees for this single project, considerably alleviating local unemployment. They have trained majority of the local technical workers who will later contribute to Kenya’s future development in their own capacity, especially in the infrastructure area. These companies have been actively involved in various activities for public welfare as well. They took part in the local rescue operations and renovation of houses destroyed by rainstorms; they have consistently conducted their social corporate responsibility by donating money, equipments and goods to local organizations and schools. And most impressively, in September 2011, they joined the “Chinese for Kenya – Relief Food to Turkana Program” by donating cash and food and providing manpower and vehicles to transport the relief food to Turkana.

The Influence of China in project development, especially in the Infrastructure sector is worth commendation. A lot has changed since China became Kenya’s Number one and de facto development partner particularly in the infrastructure sector. In recent years，friendship and cooperation between China and Kenya has improved substantially signifying the mutually beneficial cooperation. The fruitful achievement will serve to reinforce their determination and confidence to expand this cooperation.

China’s election of new leaders has become a significant global event to monitor

The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is scheduled to begin on November 8th, 2012 at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing. It is the equivalent of national general elections where new leaders will be elected to serve in the Political Bureau (politburo). This will be China’s most significant meeting in 2012 as the Communist Party of China will begin the delicate process of replacing its top leadership. Formerly, China maintained a low key approach to this process; however, with its unprecedented increased strength, potential and importance to the entire world, major Chinese events have become major global events. Numerous important countries are changing their leadership in 2012 and China's 18th National Congress is among those attracting the most attention. China has become an important country with significant influence globally and its leadership transition is set to impact the whole world in different ways.The 18th Party Congress is worth our attention, and so is China after this Congress.

The National Congress is the highest leading body of the CPC together with the Central committee that is elected by it. The National Congress of the Party is held once every five years and convened by the Central Committee. The Central committee consists of twenty five leaders of the Political Bureau (politburo) and nine in the Politburo's all-powerful Standing Committee including the President and Premier at the highest levels. Due to age and term limit restrictions, seven of the nine members of the most important Politburo Standing Committee will be retiring. This includes current paramount Leader Hu Jintao, who will step down as the powerful party's General Secretary. The clear transition process has made the 18th national Congress of the CPC somewhat predictable and it is widely speculated that Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang will succeed Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao as top Politburo Standing Committee members and take over the Presidency and Premiership .

The 18th National congress will have 2270 delegates from 40 counties. Delegates represent provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. The People’s liberation army, the central party organization, the central government ministries and commissions, central state owned enterprises, and central banks and financial institutions are all represented.

The 18th National congress is set to highlight China’s potential and challenges to the entire party and the Chinese people, as well as conduct a thorough assessment of the party’s work over the past five years. The Party is expected to amend the constitution and make it comply with the common aspirations of the CPC and Chinese people of all ethnic backgrounds and regions. The leaders are keen to ensure it meets the development needs of socialism with Chinese characteristics and adapts to "new situations" and "new tasks". The Party has emphasized that it seeks to make use of this period in China's development, to advance innovation in theoretical terms and draw out guidelines and policies that respond to the call of the times and the people.

The CPC’s 18th National congress comes at a critical time for China and the entire world as the leadership it selects and the policies it adopts have a profound effect on the world’s second biggest economy, and most importantly, on its highly optimistic population. The Chinese people and the entire world have a lot of expectations from the CPC and they will be expecting the 18th National Congress of the CPC to show direction. It is an opportunity for China to have a frank discussion with both its people and the entire world. The CPC has sent signals of certainty, beaming with confidence and suggesting that the party and the government is in control of the country’s political and economic situations. It has promised to continue reform and opening up, gather strength, overcome difficulties, forge ahead on the socialist path of Chinese characteristics unswervingly and strive for the full establishment of a moderately prosperous society.

Since it became the ruling party in 1949, the CPC has weathered many storms, such as the self-inflicted Cultural Revolution (1966-76), but managed to restore China's economic strength in the global arena through reform and the introduction of a market economy. Despite the many challenges experienced over the last Sixty-three years, China has successfully addressed those challenges under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and has made enormous achievements in social and economic development. The past decade has seen its best years, with China becoming the world's fastest growing economy, with an average annual growth of 10.7 percent from 2003 to 2011. The party, as the core of the Chinese political system, has accumulated vast experience in solving complex problems and it is the experience that has helped China to make such progress and advance in the right direction.

Without doubt, the Communist party of China will draw lessons from its past successes and failures and establish a future direction for the country through resolutions on ideology-building, political routes and personnel management as it has done from time to time. The party has conducted widespread consultations with the local people, experts and analysts both in China and around the world to get their thoughts on China's development. China understands that while maintaining the continuity of its policies, it must also adjust its relations with major powers, developing countries and neighboring countries according to the latest changes in the global situation as any change in China will inevitably affect the rest of the world in an era of economic globalization. Therefore, when the 18th National Congress of the CPC opens, people inside and outside China should closely watch the country's new leaders, as what they say and do may signal the beginning of great changes in China and the rest of the world.

China’s Pursuit for Sustainable Development

Sustainable development has gradually become an International consensus. China and countries throughout the world have become aware of the need for sustainable development and are exploring ways and means to achieving sustainable development. At the same time, global sustainable development is also faced with serious challenges such as rapid population growth, increased poverty, severe environmental pollution, reduction of biodiversity, desertification and global climate change.

The 2012 United Nations Conference on sustainable development with the themes; “green economy within the context of sustainable development”, “assessing the progress and implementation gaps in already agreed commitments”, “ addressing new and emerging challenges” and “ securing renewed political commitments to sustainable development”, will help concerned parties reach a consensus on how to develop sustainably as a global community.

Over the past decade, China has seen accelerated industrialization and urbanization processes which have enriched its connotations of sustainable development. Given the severe resources and environmental constraints on economic development, China has been compelled to transform its development mindset by innovating new modes of development, improving the capacity of sustainable development so as to make greater contributions to global sustainable development.

The idea of harmony between man and nature is a very important component of the traditional values of Chinese civilization. Since the turn of the new century, China has further deepened its understanding of the connotations of sustainable development and is making a great contribution in pursuit of global sustainable development.

The Chinese government has participated in three milestone conferences i.e. the United Nations Conference on Human development (also known as the Stockholm conference), United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (also referred to as the Rio Conference) and the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (also known as the Johannesburg Summit) which are vital for the formation and development of the concept of sustainable development.

China is one of the first few countries to propose and implement sustainable development strategies. It has incorporated sustainable development into national strategies and began its full implementation. One major theory put forward by China is the scientific outlook of development which is based on China’s own realities, foreign experiences and new development situations both at home and abroad.  It has also proposed other concepts such as resource saving and environment friendly societies, innovation oriented countries, ecological civilization and green development concepts which it is putting into practice.

China has made efforts to carry out overall regional development strategies to set the national spatial development towards a coordinated and orderly direction. It has been accelerating the development of modern service industry; vigorously advocating green consumption and gradually improving the quality of development. Great importance has been attached to the improvement of the urban and rural environment and living conditions. There’s more greening and area coverage, and drinking water conditions have been greatly improved; with the millennium development goal of “halving the number of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water” being achieved six years ahead of schedule.

China firmly pursues its national policy of family planning, which has kept the population growth at sustainable levels, thus making a significant contribution to slowing down global population growth and reducing the population pressure on resources and the environment. 

Based on the development and the utilization of domestic mineral resources, China strives to improve the comprehensive development and utilization of resources by eliminating backward production capacity, strengthening energy conservation in key areas and developing new and renewable energy sources. Over the past decade, energy self sufficiency has remained at over 90% and China has become the world’s largest producer in terms of hydropower, wind power installed capacities and solar water heater collector area. Forest cover has increased from 16.55% in 2000 to 20.36% in 2010 and the national trend of ecological deterioration has been brought under control with national ecological environment quality improving significantly.

Relying on the support of Science and Technology and Human resources development, China has continuously increased investment in these areas. Through media campaigns, education and training, China has been able to raise awareness of the sustainable development, both nationwide and globally, encouraging active participation from Chinese people at home and is development partners abroad. These measures are set to compulsively promote the green economic development and social harmony and progress of both China and the rest of the world.

China is also keen on sharing its sustainable development lessons and success with the rest of the world and especially Africa which has emerged as China’s recent most important development partner. Sustainability is now a key priority in China’s Cooperation with Africa. In its Africa policy whitepaper, the Chinese government stated clearly that China and Africa should jointly explore a path to sustainable development. This is being pursued ardently by FOCAC, which has become the important platform for China and Africa to explore ways of cooperation for sustainable development.

Through FOCAC, China has supported Africa in improving people's livelihood, increasing employment and enhancing the ability of independent development through cooperation in agriculture, medical care, health, education, environment protection and human resources which have deepened. In order to improve African countries' abilities to adapt to climate change, China has been launching clean energy projects including solar power, biogas and small hydropower projects in Africa. It continues to explore affordable low-carbon technology transfers to African countries as they work together towards the common goal of sustainable development.

Thika road: Persevere today for a smoother tomorrow.

In this modern world, where almost everything is swift and instant, we can easily forget the virtues of patience and that sometimes, we need to wait a little bit longer to achieve the best results. In reference to an article published in the dailies recently, some users of the almost complete Thika road superhighway are already hard done by it and are blaming the Chinese contractors for the trouble. According to the article, the construction work and the road itself is a huge inconvenience to its users in terms of safety and navigation. Well: You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.

Modern highway and infrastructure projects take a lot of planning, time, resources and man-power, and these dynamics change periodically. The Nairobi Thika superhighway is no exception. This project; with the largest amount of investment ever since Kenya’s independence (estimated at ksh. 27 billion), is two-way six to eight-lane attached with side pavements, bicycle lanes, green belt, drainage system, lighting system, road signs and markings, traffic signals, flyovers and underpasses.

The three firms that have the contract for the highway project are all Chinese, and are the China Wu Yi Company, Shengli Engineering Construction and Synohydro Corporation Ltd. There have been delays and challenges owing to the high density of the population, high traffic, underground pipes and networks. Despite those challenges, the Chinese companies have worked with high efficiency and speed. Construction is almost done with most of the road open to users and it is now in the follow-up period of perfection and maintenance. It is now upon the road users to take responsibility of their safety by driving carefully even as the road nears completion and more safety measures are put in place.

Despite harsh judgment leveled against them, the contractors have erected temporary signs on the road to reduce accidents, but until the road is complete, drivers should exercise caution and drive safely especially at night when visibility is poor. China Wu-Yi has made steps of marking some parts of the highway and placed huge arrow markings at the entrance and exits of interchanges. They have also placed red, yellow and white stickers along the walls to help drivers at night. It is also important to note that the Chinese contractors are only hired to do the construction and they have no say when it comes to the design and other aspects of the road.

On full completion, which is expected to be by August 2012, the 50.4 km road will have clearly marked lanes, clear road signs, adequate lighting, designated pedestrian crossing and fly-overs among other safety measures put in place. The diversions and boulders, the noise and the dust etc, which are part and parcel of any construction work, will be gone.  

The appraisal report by the African development bank and the government projected fewer accidents as the outcome of the Improvement of Thika superhighway. The numbers have significantly reduced and with more care and strict adherence to road rules by individuals, they can be reduced further. It is shocking to see pedestrians making a dash across the four-lane and the other four in attempts to cross the road at undesignated places. They have ignored the warning signs put along the road and continue to endanger their lives. The fly-over at former globe round-about is not meant for pedestrians and despite the clear warning sign that pedestrians should not use it; they have been sharing the little space with vehicles ignoring their own safety. Drivers have been recklessly hitting the concrete boulders meant to divert traffic from dangerous spots and to protect construction workers and areas still under construction and blaming the contractors for putting them there. We should therefore have a little patience on the road as construction comes to a near end and improve our traffic culture to avoid the negative impacts of the ongoing road construction.

Nevertheless, there is more to look up to than mourn about when it comes to the Thika superhighway. The inconveniences we experience today cannot overweigh the benefits that this highway is set to present in the near future and the signs are already there for all to see. The highway has a strategic importance at the local, regional and international level. It is part of the international trunk road connecting Nairobi City with Ethiopia to the north. It will benefit the local farmers and traders, transport operators, Kenyan and Ethiopian importers and exporters as well as boost trade, tourism, agriculture and industrial sectors.

Kenya’s economy looses billions of shillings during traffic jams. The highway, which was necessitated by perennial traffic jams, is poised to open up new business opportunities and investments, giving both Nairobi’s and Thika’s Economies a major boost. Thika could soon be a suburb of Nairobi owing to the time it would take commuters to travel to the city center and back. It would take the an average of 40 minutes or less to travel between Thika and Nairobi; a major boost for traders and industries from both sides as well as workers living and working between the two towns.

Land value along the highway is appreciating fast; Investors and real estate developers are jostling for every available space along the road citing huge benefits once the road is complete. The highway will open up areas along the road making it a prime-land for both commercial and residential investments. New Infrastructure is playing a big role in increasing the value of land due to the speculative activities as the highway takes shape. Land prices along the road have increased by an average of 50% the last two years.

As a result of the superhighway, multi-million, classy residential areas, mini-cities are coming up. Tatu City, Thika greens golf Estate, Migaa golf course, flame tree, Oakfield valley, and Tatu city among others. These revolutionary suburbs are a gold mine for investors as well as housing for many middle –income Kenyans concentrated around the city center. The rise-of these gated community estates has revolutionized housing and lured many middle-income citizens to the prospects of enjoying modern mini-cities where all their needs are close to them.

The rise of these new communities has been coupled with demand for social amenities and even more investors are coming in to cash in on these new developments by offering services. At the Roysambu junction, a sh.450 million shopping mall with several supermarkets, cinema halls, conference centre’s, offices and over 300 parking spaces is already coming up and is ready to cash in. The mall also marks the entry of multinational Scandinavian supermarket chain, IKEA, which specializes in furniture. Local household names have not been left behind as the battle for new inhabitants with purchasing power begins. Uchumi supermarkets also plan to build another mall in an adjacent plot. Nakumatt is also set to build another mall along the road. In the fray, PepsiCo, a soft drinks maker, is putting up a 2.4 billion plant off Thika road. This trend indicates the need to serve a growing middle-income population along the superhighway providing immense opportunities for investors and better services for the people and a better economy for the country in general.

The Nairobi-Thika highway is indeed a blessing to Kenyans and there is no room for cynicism. We should be very grateful and supportive of all those involved in the project who include the African Development bank who’s investment in Lot 1 and 2 is 8.03 billion Ksh and 8.72 billion respectively and the Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM), concessional loan to Lot 3 at 9.44 billion Ksh. The project designers include the Consulting Engineering Services from India and the proud Kenyan Engineering Company, Aviation Projects &Engineering Co Ltd. We must not forget the current administration for embarking on this project and attaching great importance to it and the over 4,000 local employees who have been involved in the process of transforming the old Thika road nightmare into a soon to be heavenly ride to greater things.