African Entrepreneurship Record

Of course, the presence of excavators in East Africa dates back quite a while, although early products were of questionable quality, naturally making large-scale promotion unnecessary.

Elsewhere in the world, excavators were also in use during this time, but they were mostly mechanical excavators, clunky and crude, generally used in mining; mechanical excavators were applied in East Africa’s mines too, the coal mines being the most typical example.

Mechanical excavators are far less flexible than hydraulic excavators, particularly in the flexible movement of the bucket, which often can only perform simple up and down reciprocation.

Hydraulic excavators, however, are highly flexible, attributable to the rich experience East Africa has accumulated in tractor and tank manufacturing.

The advent of hydraulic excavators can be said to have altered the model of infrastructure construction in East Africa, a significant feature during the construction of Bell Port.

Beyond this, East Africa’s application of hydraulic systems clearly extends further; equipping them on trucks enables vehicles to accomplish unloading tasks, especially in transporting earthworks, grains, stones, and other items, greatly improving loading and unloading efficiency.

This aspect is vividly showcased in the construction of Bell Port.

Once Rob Ketz concluded his speech, Bell Port workers began their performances.

The first step was to drain the lake water, and East African workers had already cordoned off the construction area with levees, subsequently using high-power pumps to drain the water within the levees.

Following the guidance of command personnel, excavators then entered the scene, beginning to scoop out the silt one scoop at a time, immediately followed by transport vehicles entering.

Excavators dumped silt and ordinary soil into the trucks’ beds, which these transport vehicles then hauled away.

Looking at the bustling construction site, Rob Ketz couldn’t help but express, "I can hardly believe how dramatically the construction model has changed within just a few years."

"I still remember over twenty years ago, when I just graduated from school; back then, we didn’t have the conditions we enjoy now."

"Most constructions relied heavily on manpower, carrying and hauling by shoulder and hand, whereas now a single excavator can instantly dig up what several people would take minutes to remove; manual labor finds the muddy terrain even more challenging."

"In the past, when digging mud, with a shovel, half of it would slip away, and the efficiency was particularly slow; the aquatic plants on the lake bed were even harder to clear."

"Whereas the excavator, with a single bucket, tackles water and mud, along with aquatic plants, resolving everything; this is true brute force aesthetics."

Rob Ketz’s student remarked beside him, "The era is changing too fast; since entering the 20th century, East Africa is transforming almost daily; when I was a child, there weren’t nearly as many automobiles and mechanical equipment as there are now."

"After the completion of the second five-year plan, East Africa differed significantly from other industrial nations, whether in electricity, internal combustion machinery, household appliances, or automobile industries; the Empire is amidst an explosive phase."

"In the 19th century, we were at most among the world leaders in these fields, with nations like the United States and Germany running neck to neck with us; now in these emerging industries, we are far ahead."

East Africa embarked on its strategies for internal combustion engines, electricity, and other emerging industries relatively early; however, it truly gained momentum only upon entering the 20th century.

After all, in the prior century, East Africa didn’t have the industrial foundation akin to Europe and America’s established industrial powers; however, upon entering the 20th century, East Africa underwent industrial transformation, shifting its economic focus decisively from agriculture to industry, resulting in rapid changes.

First, last century’s educational investments entered their fruit-bearing period, yielding a wealth of qualified industrial workers and researchers; next, with substantial primitive accumulation and ample finances, East Africa has solid financial feet; lastly, policy and strategic deployments enhanced by two five-year plans formally ranked East Africa among the world’s top industrial powers; coordinates previously established industries, synergizing with improved East African production efficiency, thus entered an explosive phase.

Rob Ketz stated, "The Empire is presently in a phase of rapid development; currently, European countries are in turmoil; after the war, the global configuration will likely undergo considerable alteration, and only after these European countries finish their conflicts might they realize the world has radically transformed."

"However, these are not issues for us to ponder now; the most crucial matter for us currently is completing the reconstruction and expansion of Bell Port."

"Should Bell Port’s transformation and expansion proceed smoothly, it will substantially enrich our records and experiences; this time, you must also strive to learn extensively and amass practical experience."

"While Bell Port does receive national attention, previously, the most vital port throughout the Great Lakes Region was Kisumu Port; it remains to be seen whether North Lake Province can seize an opportunity under the current Great Lake Economic Belt policy."

The surroundings of the Great Lakes Region boast numerous cities, among which the most renowned are Kisumu, Mwanza, Kampala, and Kagela.

Kisumu belongs to Prussia Province, located within what was known as Kenya in previous times, and has outdone numerous port cities of the Great Lakes Region to become the foremost urban center of the area.

This is primarily due to Kisumu City’s geographic location; Kisumu serves as a key junction connecting the Great Lake and Mombasa Railway; historically, the transportation of goods and passengers within the Great Lakes Region predominantly traversed Kisumu City.

Moreover, Kisumu belongs to the eastern region, conveniently near large cities like Mombasa and Nairobi, facilitating industrial and technological contact and accumulation.

Nevertheless, North Lake Province is unwilling to concede, given that, aside from the maritime transportation shortcoming, Great Lake Province holds far more substantial fundamental conditions than Prussia Province.

Yet, North Lake Province’s cities cannot hold a candle even to Nairobi, and even lag behind Kisumu, Prussia Province’s second-ranked city; this is somewhat indefensible.

In recent years, Nairobi’s status has declined, granting North Lake Province the chance to surpass Prussia Province.

Previously, North Lake Province’s confidence lay in the development of Albert Lake’s petroleum resources, alongside various abundant mineral reserves within the province, which Prussia Province cannot compare to.

National canal plans, railway, and highway constructions, among others, have rendered North Lake Province’s shipping channels non-exclusive, although cost-wise, exiting via the eastern Mombasa remains the most affordable.

Undoubtedly, policy support is what North Lake Province values most; with the Great Lake Economic Belt proposal during East Africa’s fourth and fifth periods focusing on developing the Great Lakes Region, North Lake Province has seen new prospects.

To surpass Prussia Province, North Lake Province aims to prioritize developing the provincial capital Kampala, as well as nearby Entebbe City, thereby establishing a Gemini structure for the Great Lakes Region.

Simultaneously, utilizing Albert Lake’s petroleum resources and the province’s natural gas, North Lake Province seeks to build a cluster for oil and gas, and chemical industries; this aspect is of extreme importance to North Lake Province.

After all, East Africa’s north is relatively lacking in energy resources; both historically and presently, the primary global energy source remains coal, which caused East Africa’s early industrial bases to essentially scatter across Southern, Central, and Coastal areas.

Petroleum and natural gas, as new energy resources, are arguably North Lake Province’s standout energy assets, and with these emerging resources as a foundation, North Lake Province can construct a batch of emerging industries.

Nonetheless, due to restrictions on arable land and ecological preservation, the East African Government’s arrangements for North Lake Province involve focusing on developing medium and large cities within the province, enhancing land use efficiency.

So, this elevates the strategic significance of city development within North Lake Province, particularly in Kampala City and Entebbe City.

The distance between Kampala and Entebbe, in essence, can be viewed as one city; should it develop to the scale of Mbeya or Harare City, the two locales are bound to merge, which implies that, in the future, the Great Lakes Region might witness the rise of a new major East African city.

Of course, while North Lake Province has its development strategy, other provinces are certainly not idle either; Prussia Province intends to prioritize Kisumu City’s development, whereas Great Lake Province simultaneously develops Mwanza and Kagela, with other cities along the Great Lakes Region’s coastline also vying for a share in the stakes, resulting in the regional economic competition blooming profusely.