KENYA IS WELL ENDOWED

"No country can alleviate poverty if its leadership spends much of its time on what is politically expedient rather than economically prudent."- Christopher Mutisya

Kenya has a colossal amount of resources that can be tapped to improve the lives of its population. We are not short of human resources that spread across all professional disciplines. Kenyans are amazingly entrepreneural.

We have enjoyed peace and tranquility for many years which was severely threatened by the 2007 post-election violence. Our nation parks and game reserves present the world with a rare beauty. Our beaches are the envy of the world.

Kenyan soils are very fertile. We have so many rivers and lakes. The climate is not so unfavourable. So many positives favour us. However, we have found ourselves languishing at the bottom of growing economies as a low income country.

We seem not to emulate a country like Botswana, which is 70% covered by Kalahari Desert.The Southern Africa nation was among the poorest nations by 1966. Her landlocked status notwithstanding, her economic growth has eclipsed those experienced by the Asian Tigers. Today, Botswana is a middle income country and among the least corrupt in the world.

Our major undoing is indecision and inaction by our political leadership. There is too much political chest thumping, backbiting, and ethnic politics at the expense of economic development. Judicial reforms are being undertaken under the command of political expediency.

Environmental conservation seems to be a peripheral duty of our government. The government seem to lack the will to end impunity and uproot corruption in our society. The poorest of the poor are still inadequately reached.

Kenya can change and become a beacon of prosperity even before the actual deadline of Vision 2030. However, if change is to be realized, the government must learn the urgency of the moment.

Let us conserve the environment to help us address the food, water, and energy crises. Let us subsidise our farmers in order to beef up food security in the country. Let us sell a national brand where each kenyan sees the other from a kenyan rather than from a tribal perspective. The government must step up its support for youth and women entrepreneurship. We can do simple things in great ways to change this country.

Chris

Article published in The Standard August 18th, 2009