Kenya ruling party lauds CPC development vision

As the Communist Party of China marks its 105th anniversary on July 1, Hassan Omar, secretary-general of Kenya's ruling party United Democratic Alliance, hailed the CPC's longtime governance as a testament to strong organization, ideological clarity and people-centered philosophy, saying its experience offers valuable lessons for political parties across Africa.

"On my behalf and on behalf of the party, I pass my congratulations to the leadership of the CPC for the commemoration of the 105th anniversary. It is by no means a mean achievement," Omar said in an interview with China Daily. "It shows quite some foundation in terms of the Party's organizational skills, the Party's longevity in terms of its ideology, and its promise of development to the people of China."

He said the CPC's journey has become a source of inspiration for political parties still undergoing institution-building, particularly in Africa, where many parties continue to grapple with weak structures and short-term electoral politics.

Among those pillars, Omar cited the CPC's organizational capacity, long-term development agenda and clarity of vision, alongside what he described as China's emphasis on people's participation in governance from the grassroots to the highest levels of decision-making.

Omar, who has visited China on several occasions, including Zhejiang province this year, said his understanding of the CPC's governance model has been shaped not only by China's development record but also through firsthand interactions with grassroots Party structures during his visits to the country.

He recalled visiting village-level Party structures, where he observed how local Party organizations engage communities, respond to people's needs and participate in decision-making.

"The CPC has an extraordinary governance system," he said. "I myself have interacted with the lowest level of the village CPC structures. In terms of its organization, its decision-making, its responsiveness to the needs of the people and its participation of the people, it is a testament to how parties that are driven by the people can entrench themselves in terms of a long-term vision for their own people and for the community of nations."

Omar said one of the biggest lessons Kenya can draw from China's experience is the importance of building political parties around ideology and long-term national goals rather than short-term electoral interests.

He said responsive grassroots structures remain indispensable to effective governance and sustainable political institutions, adding that the UDA has already begun incorporating some of those organizational approaches.

"We're already adopting it in Kenya," he said, noting that the UDA has established party structures down to polling centers to strengthen citizen participation and improve organizational capacity.

He said party-to-party exchanges between Kenya and China have also played an important role in exposing young political leaders to China's governance experience, technological advancement and modernization journey.

"The Chinese model of development and modernization largely mirrors that of Africa. We are both victims of colonialism, victims of imperial domination and exploitation," he said.

"When our young people and party cadres visit China, they see how China is organized. They see the advancement in technology, infrastructure and communication. That itself is a model to borrow from."

Shared insights

Omar said such exchanges provide opportunities to share governance experiences and practical expertise while helping African countries pursue modernization based on their own national realities.

He also praised the contributions of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, to governance and international cooperation, saying his ideas have helped reshape global discourse by promoting multipolarity and sovereign equality among nations.

"In his thoughts on governance, on shared humanity and sovereign equality, Xi Jinping has enabled what would have been unipolar arrogance to give way to a more multipolar world," Omar said.

He added that the ideas of Xi have resonated across much of the Global South by encouraging countries to pursue development models suited to their own circumstances while expanding cooperation with partners that share similar aspirations.

sharon@chinadailyafrica.com