People watch Chinese Mayors: Delivering Democracy, a documentary, in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

Chinese Mayors: Delivering Democracy, a documentary, was screened on Sunday in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, during the Out of Africa International Film Festival. 

Chinese Mayors: Delivering Democracy, a documentary, was screened on Sunday in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, during the ninth edition of the Out of Africa International Film Festival.

Mumbi Hinga, director of the film festival, said this year's edition, which runs for four days, attracted 40 films from 35 countries across the world.

The Chinese documentary, she said, was selected by the panel of judges because it tackles the significant topic of how government officials remain accountable to the people by ensuring the efficient delivery of public services.

"China has developed a unique system of governance that has resulted in rapid economic development for all citizens, regardless of their diverse socio-economic backgrounds," Hinga said.

Elvis Kigen, who watched the 106-minute documentary, said the film helped to debunk the myth that Western democracies are a superior form of governance compared to other systems across the world.

"The film showed that local Chinese government officials seek consensus and the opinion of the people before arriving at public spending priorities," Kigen added.

Dennis Muiruri, one of the audience members, noted that mayors in China have embraced their role as custodians of national wealth, resulting in high levels of transparency in spending and utilizing government resources.

"We have seen high-profile public officials being punished for corruption, which deters leaders from misappropriating funds meant to uplift the lives of citizens," Muiruri said.