Gen Muhoozi on Board China’s High-Speed Bullet Train

BEIJING. After days of high-level military and diplomatic meetings in China, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, traded motorcades for speed. Together with his delegation, he boarded one of China’s famous high-speed trains, often called the bullet train, for a 1,200-kilometer journey to the ancient city of Xi’an.

The trip was more than just transport. It was an encounter with the kind of infrastructure that has powered China’s rise and could one day change life in Uganda.

The bullet train covered the distance in under five hours, gliding smoothly at 350 kilometers per hour. The quiet, air-conditioned cabins offered comfort close to that of an airplane, but without turbulence or the need for seat belts. For Ugandan commuters, who often spend hours trapped in Kampala’s gridlocked traffic just to travel a few kilometers, the contrast could not have been sharper.

Gen Muhoozi, who also serves as Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, has previously spoken about his vision of transforming Kampala into a modern city and tackling the daily frustrations of traffic congestion and poor infrastructure. The Chinese experience seemed to reinforce that ambition.

Onboard, the General observed families and business travelers moving with ease, relying on a system that moves millions every day with remarkable precision. For him, the journey was a live demonstration of how transport efficiency fuels economic growth and social progress.

Uganda currently loses an estimated 800 million dollars every year to traffic congestion, a heavy drain on productivity and quality of life. For many, the lesson from Gen Muhoozi’s trip is clear: investment in modern mass transit is not a luxury but a necessity.