BY LEONARD WANYAMA
Nationalistic pride may demand that one speak highly of his or her country at all times, but it is hard not to acknowledge that many a times it seems Kenya is governed by crisis. Whether it is a big or small predicament, the country stumbles from one issue into the next mostly firefighting.
Even when some good news arise, it is quickly overshadowed by a real or pseudo-catastrophe that sends the state, its people, agencies, institutions etcetera ad infinitum veering off course. Such manifestations point towards a serious limitation in the sense of political, social and economic planning.
The first point that results in crisis is the understanding of the economy. Reference here is made not to the proficiency in applying principles and theories when all things are held constant but in what the economy is intended to achieve for its citizenry. Unfortunately history shows that there has been a policy and political capture within the state capital infringing grievances locally across the country.
Unfortunately this has resulted in the traditional notions that all will be well if we expand the pie or, as spoken in the political lexicon, the national cake. This is despite not realizing that some may view their economy differently as a bag of sweets for instance. It therefore behoves Kenyan society to develop a grander understanding that will result in contextualizing capitalism to the country’s needs
With that in mind, it will also help ease the contestations about how the country wants to distribute the pie, cake or sweets without antagonizing or marginalizing whole populations as has been the case in Kenya’s history. As a democracy, it is clear that achieving rapid growth is not an easy task within a cacophonic environment of numerous demands.
Nonetheless, this must be respected because it offers the relative stability that guarantees development through representation. Careful consideration must be taken in ensuring incremental socio-political and economic gains are jealously guarded and not lost on the basis of flimsy consideration or hangovers from the past lest we experience the ‘punishment that befell Lot’s wife.’
Efforts must therefore ensure that the doubling of productivity and market size walks hand in hand with economic diversification. Here, the key to unlock the potential of the country is to allow the decentralization of development to flourish. Devolution should open up markets to end the dependency on major cities such as Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru and other former provincial capitals.
Localization of growth will encourage rural division of labor that is productive and able to absorb the emerging highly skilled workforce. It will also help take in the results following recent high education rates thereby dealing with the unemployment problem. However, it should not mean that there should be a wholesome dependence on national administration to achieve this.
County governments and devolved institutions should work to create a productive economic environment. They should therefore avoid recreating patronage systems at the local level because of how they have failed the country in the past thereby making it lag behind its peers. This will help stop sleaze, policy narrow-mindedness and foolishness that encourage institutional stagnation or economic plunder that hinders service delivery for the citizenry.
Progress or prosperity is therefore hinged on the willingness to embrace pragmatism; the willingness to pursue sufficient consensus and conduct the necessary compromise that ensure not only service delivery for its sake alone but also development as an overall aspiration. Such practicality would ensure that principles of competence, efficiency and effectiveness prevail in governance.
Also, half the discontent concerning state secrecy, dishonesty and disorganization will be dispelled. This is because pragmatic rationale would help government to effectively address the widening regional differences and societal inequality. Especially due to the fact that in present time, this would mean that ruling administrations, both at the county and national level, would have requisite understanding of unprecedented social changes taking place.
Creating a harmonious society has to realize the contours of challenges arising out of increasing migration. This puts a direct strain on provision of social amenities and in some instances it could have environmental consequences if one is to look at issues concerning pollution or disruptions of ecosystems.
Ultimately the primary goal of reducing poverty must not be lost. Efforts in pursuing this agenda must never forget that the achievement of structured stability, in this regard, requires thorough pursuit of adequate reforms that affect people directly within their locality, while adequately redistributing the benefits of available resources.
Some of these problems are pervasive because of not evading the capture of elite organization. These are highly networked and educated groups that are typically unrepresentative in terms of interests or concerns of the majority. Pragmatists must therefore seek direct ways to include the real beneficiaries of public goods in the appropriate discussions and decision-making processes.
It is for the sake of attaining legitimacy but also, more importantly, developing adequate solutions to the real challenges that face the people and the country.
