The year 2019 has been an extremely difficult one for Kenyans.
How I wish we could have a better 2020, and indeed prosperity in the new decade.
Importantly, we are today facing myriad challenges that are almost becoming insurmountable.
First, is the high cost of living.
Kenya has witnessed spiralling inflation in the recent past that has eroded not only disposable incomes but also the purchasing power of the average consumer.
This has in turn impacted negatively on both the marginal propensity to save and invest, thereby impeding both economic growth and net social welfare of the Kenyan people.
Majority of Kenyans can barely afford basic subsistence.
Second, we continue to witness wanton run-away high level corruption in the country both within the national and county governments.
Yet the response we witness amounts to no meaningful end-result.
No tangible action against the corrupt entities and individuals is forthcoming, save for sham and cosmetic Friday arrests followed by mere court appearances.
The people need to see real action manifested by convictions and asset recovery.
Third, our public debt continues to spiral to alarming levels.
Today, Kenya’s external debt stands at Sh9 trillion. We have become a borrowing nation at national, institutional and individual levels.
Our insatiable appetite for debt will lead to increased taxation at all levels.
Fourth, millions of Kenyan youth are languishing in a state of abject poverty and hopelessness occasioned by high unemployment levels.
This is informed in part by a declining manufacturing sector.
Worryingly, the political class appears uninterested in addressing the problems afflicting the common citizen; instead opting for the preoccupation with amassing wealth and premature agitation of change of the Constitution.
If you ask me, 90 per cent of Kenyans are not even adequately sensitised on Kenya’s 2010 Constitution.
Why don’t we first do a candid evaluation of the implementation status of our 2010 Constitution to determine the milestones realised, challenges faced, implementation gaps, lessons learnt and emerging issues that can then objectively inform constitutional changes, if any? What is the urgency in unilaterally rushing to the radical conclusion that we need a constitutional change that is not informed by a technically feasible position?
To save our beloved country from the current economic morass and political quagmire, Kenyans need to collectively and individually embark on forging unity of purpose; adopt issue-based politics; passionately fight corruption, impunity and forces of state capture; discard the retrogressive culture of negative politics built around ethnic enclaves and tribal chiefs; embrace a new crop of leaders imbued with integrity and morality; and chart a new political order.
Kenya must therefore speak to itself.
We need to have a honest discourse about the future of our beloved country.
We need to discuss the Kenya we want.
Unless we realise full political, economic and social emancipation, it is not yet Uhuru.
Over to you, Kenyans. Let the people decide.
Eliud Owalo is a management consultant specialising in strategy’ formulation, implementation and control.
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