Africa continues to lag behind due to bad policies. Kenya, unfortunately, leads the rest of failed Sub-Saharan Africa’s failed economic stories in crafting and implementing wrongheaded economic policies.
To give you examples, look at laptop nonsense that the Jubilee government trumpeted during their amateurish yet successful general election campaign. While it is commendable to stretch technology to the lowest levels- as low as class one, we need to understand where Kenya stands in the food chain. If Norway decides to give each kid in class one a laptop, that is one thing. Norway and Denmark are some of the silently successful economies of Europe that beat even the US in meeting the vital needs of all members of their populations without asking them to commit too much. But then look at Kenya- a pseudo-US style economy where the top 1% own nearly all the buildings in the city while the 99% are on survival mode. In such conditions, do you want to spend approximately kshs. 40,000 to purchase laptops for each class one kid or you are going to channel the money into some useful economic project in the arid and semi-arid parts of the country such as North Eastern Provide?
The reality is far much worrisome than the stupidity that is spewed endlessly by the complacent media and the paid mouthpieces talking about non-existent development. Approximately 60% of the government sponsored students in public universities eat either unsatisfactory meals or go without meals on some days due to lack of enough funds. The reason is obvious-they come from poor families. These same students have to jostle for very few ancient desktops that are stuffed into undersized computer labs without air conditioning and unreliable internet. With the extreme heat in such rooms, a student comes out smelling like mature manure rather than an enlightened scholar capable of fighting for space in the world stage of elites. And then what does politicians who know it all tell you? “We are gonna supply all class one pupils with laptops!”
Now, if the above is not enough, look at what is going on in Turkana-kids do not go to school to study. Instead, they attend school for the government supplied lunch of beans and porridge. Some of the media personalities with souls that have not been sold to the bloody wolves have covered this shame of government-engineered child poverty that has killed generations of Kenyans. Does it require rocket science to understand that talking about laptop to a child who goes for days on end without breakfast or lunch, a child without medical attention or an exercise book to write on is folly?
Do I blame the president? Well, no! He went to college in the US like me. While he attended Amherst, I attended Principia and Harvard…and New Mexico Highlands University. But unlike me, he was born and brought up in state house. He smiles and laughs like a normal street guy, a warm guy who you and enjoy a cold beer with…..but beyond the smile is elitism of indescribable proportions. He listens to what his friends tell him. He is not a Hugo Chavez who knows the struggles of the ordinary young Kenyan who has to do “mjengo” to feed a family of two and pay rent.
Do I blame Ruto? I have to. Ruto is from an ordinary background. In fact, his poor beginnings are the complete opposite of his boss’s lofty background. He struggled and survived through a combination of street smarts and lack of competition in a region where young politicians re a recent phenomenon. He is in a better position to defend the common man and woman and champion realistic and sound policies that resonate with the needs of the masses.
Why is Ruto not doing enough to get the right policies in place? There are three main reasons. First, he is busy trying to free himself from the chain of the ICC. We all know that his case is quite a task compared to what his boss has to deal with. I struggled with the ICC cases involving the former Yugoslavia and trust me the Deputy President has a Herculean task. Second, Ruto was overwhelmed by the genuine elitism and pseudo-elitism that the drivers of the campaign exuded. Therefore, he had to sit back and listen. I am praying that after his burdens are lifted off his shoulders, Ruto can think straight and pump some sense into the president’s head. The country needs it. The third reason is the lack of citizen support in the form of media noises. The sirens in our media houses are simply reporting stupidity instead of pursuing real journalism. Instead of focusing on constructive national issues such as questioning silly government policies that affect the lives of millions of Kenyans, they are busy following empty heads such as Vera Sidika, a nut so mentally deranged to the point of rejecting herself and pursuing a shadow. Had I been Vera, I would have gone for bum reduction surgery instead of bleaching. Let me leave that to our ill-advised media to analyze.
Way forward-it is not too late to stop the class one pupils’ laptop nonsense. That is an economic no-brainer and the earlier it is topped the better. With such poor projects sucking financial air out of the country’s purses, Kenya needs no other economic enemies. The current administration suffices.
Onchari Oyieyo is a Harvard and New Mexico Highlands University graduate. He specializes in International Law, Politics, and Policy Issues.