Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Vision 2030: Reality or Mirage?

President Mwai Kibaki flanked by PM Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, VP Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka and Minister for Planning Hon. Wycliffe Oparanya unveils the Vision 2030 Logo after he officially launched the vision and its First Medium Term plan at KICC, Nairobi.

Government of Kenya launches the most ambitious development plan since independence


The Kenya Vision 2030 has finally been launched after the successful harmonization of the 2007 pre-election manifestos of ODM, PNU and ODM-K, which are the three main political parties forming the grand coalition government. The vision is planned to be implemented via 5 year medium-term rolling plans that will run concurrently with electoral cycle, and the first phase starts from June 2008 to 2012.

According to an upbeat Planning Minister - Wycliffe Oparanya - the government plans to invest a staggering Kshs1.6 trillion (approx. US$25.2 billion) over the next five years so as to transform Kenya into a middle-income earner in the next 22 years. In other words, Kenya wants to play in the same league as the famed Asian ‘tigers’ – all very laudable.

Information released yesterday indicate that Vision 2030 development plan is based on what the government calls three "pillars" namely; economic, social and political pillars. I must admit however, I have not exhaustively read the full version but sneak previews reveal that:

The ECONOMIC PILLAR aims at providing prosperity of all Kenyans by the year 2030. In conservative terms, and this is the target government has given itself, Kenya must achieve a GDP growth rate of 10% per annum for the next 25 years beginning next year! Bearing in mind that the growth rate for the last five years was somewhere between 2% to 6% (and these are Kimunya’s figures), and that even the current rate is expected to reverse back to 4% as effects of the post election skirmishes sink in, is a 10% growth rate really feasible within the next financial year? Unlikely I say, and even if Kenya achieves this, is it sustainable?

The SOCIAL PILLAR seeks to build “a just and cohesive society with social equity in a clean and secure environment” whereas the POLITICAL PILLAR aims at “realising a democratic political system founded on issue-based politics that respects the rule of law, and protects the rights and freedoms of every individual in the Kenyan society” – again all very laudable...... after all this is what ODM has been trying to teach PNU ever since the NARC/LDP days when they were busy hatching anglo-leasing deals!

Even to the most optimistic Kenyan, it is hard to imagine that Kenya as a country will actually raise the prerequisite investment, maintain political stability and achieve national cohesion all of which are required to pave the roadmap to the year 2030. And why not, one may ask?

Well, for a country led by such self serving politicians who are also anti-reform, this plan is already doomed even before it starts. It is obvious even to a casual observer that the GCG is teetering at the edge of breaking down. Just two days ago, senior ODM member and cabinet minister called a press conference in the company of Spokesman Salim Lone and warned the PNU partner to ‘tread carefully’.

Before Ntimama’s warning could be digested, the bitterly contested parliamentary by-elections in five constituencies were already scheduled and are underway as I type these lines. The very strange coincidence here is that ODM lost two of those seats in the most violent manner earlier this year. These murders are still unresolved! The third had to be annulled when ODM was in the lead and a hired mob barricaded the counting hall while the fourth, in one of the strangest coincident and in what should be the world’s first, was called a ‘tie’ when the ECK announced the elections results. Only the fifth was voluntarily given up by ODM. As if this is not enough, two ODM members died yesterday in a yet to be explained aircraft accident. What is so wrong about being an ODM MP? Are they ‘marked’ men and women or these deaths are mere coincidences? My take is that 10% economic growth rate and foreign direct investment running into billions of dollars hardly ever comes when only ODM MPs are dying like flies. What’s your take?

On top of this political minefield, even the minister Oparanya conceded, Kenya has still to overcome humongous challenges such as high unemployment, widespread poverty, gross inequalities in income distribution and development disparities in different regions of the country and gender inequalities. One wonders whether ODM (then LDP) was talking to walls during the initial years of the NARC regime because these are the same issues that have always been highlighted on the national agenda, and are the force behind calls for a peoples’ driven reform process!

It has taken a bungled election, over a thousand five hundred deaths and massive displacements to harmonize these manifestos. Hopefully this time, ODM (Chungwa Moja Maisha Bora) is in partnership with reasonable gentlemen!

46 comments:

  1. Phil,
    You never catch mirages no matter the pace. We are not where we are becasue of lack of blueprints. Many brilliant ideas populate govt shelves and the dusts they gather is legendary.

    We only need change of heart and stop treating Kenyans around circles. Mouthing platitudes by scoundels can be music to partician ears but in the long run we are back where we all started.

    Harmonize yes but the credit of summary goes and end with the authors. CALCULATIVE folks are scheming behind the scenes on how to share the spoils-GR for example. Ours is a country crying out for HONEST and FOCUSSED leadership to enable us reclaim of glory before we start the journey to prosperity

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  2. This is real dreaming African-style. Do these well-learned politicians not know that the world's leading nations are in recession with the unemployment rate even in the States at the highest ever? Also the socalled Asian Tigers are struggling especially now that China needs all their resources for themselves to rebuild the country after the horrendeous earthquake which is still threatening the lives of millions of people. Unemployment and social unsecurity is a threatening political factor also in Europe. Just as an example: about 1 Million Germans are living in the streets, i.e. they do not even have a place to sleep at night and live on the food given out by charity organizations which collect this from supermarkets (outdated food). And the prognosis is that things will even get worse in the near future. So, where on earth, does all the money Kenyan politicians dream of come from? And which reason should anybody with some sense have to invest in Kenya? This paper has been set up by some clever politicians who know what the ordinary people like to hear and in providing them with some hopes and dreams they have bought themselves time enough to fill their own pockets with the few money they collect from donor countries leaving still the question open, how they ever can pay back the money they still owe? The times to get socalled debt-reliefs are over since the outcry in these donor countries having problems how to feed their own people would be heard all over and could even threaten their political stability. Conclusion: This document is not even worth the paper it is written on. Mark my words, it will soon be forgotten when the reality starts cropping in. But in the meantime, Kibaki, Odinga and all their friends have bought themselves time - time to make some money for themselves. That's all what matters to this bunch of cr...s.

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  3. Bwana Phil,
    if we couldn't do all this economic, social and political mumbojumbo before when things were relatively calm on the surface how can we begin now when the country is learning to crawl all over again?
    first of all let "them"(read ODM/PNU/ODM K axis of evil) stop corruption dead on its tracks before talking about pie in the sky economic growth rates-kwani economy grows on trees?
    seriousness is needed coupled with competence and integrity whenever these politicians of ours open their mouths to speak-anyone can say anything it doesn't mean it will happen
    first of all crawl then walk before you can fly!

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  4. It will be a mirage. Despite a few reformers being present, it has too many status quo people who will spoil the broth.

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  5. @Taabu I agree.....but seriously how?

    @ Anon 7.20am

    Well said.

    Question is, can a country have a several million homeless people, and still be a middle-income nation achieving GDP growth rates of +10%?

    In our case it is even worse than Germany which is a leading economy in EU, because more than half of us are living on less than a US$ a day while a small cabal of power brokers are controlling billions of mostly stolen public cash. As a Kenyan, one must always ask themselves WHY it has had to be this way. Building white elephants known as Eldoret International Airport without parliamentary approval but using public cash while Kisumu is sitting there as the world's 1st UN Millenium city, next to Africa's largest fresh water lake and earmarked to be Capital of the EA Federation BUT with only a small terminal building and few metres stretch of tarmac for an airstrip! I mean, what do you say of people who have been completely unable to add even a single metre of rail to a track that was constructed by the British more than a century ago - yet they claim independence (read - sovereignity) for nearly 50 years!?

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  6. I want to be a positive kenyan so I shall ignore all the doom sayers.

    I don't care for vision 2030 or any vision at all. What is needed is security and a conducive environment for growth.

    By that I mean things like transparency and accountability,
    easy access to business loans, good infrustructure
    affordable telephoney well planned towns etc.

    As for the success of the economy leave it to the people the less gava the better.

    The reason people don't invest in this country is fear of political intefearence in privately succuessful enterprises and poor infrasructure, not lack of a vision.

    USA has never had a vison anything look where they are. This vision things are all crap. RAo may mean well but the guy needs some fresh young brains.

    Every time you say Vision such and such a time in the future its just a time bying trick.

    Security can be created yesterday just give us a good constitution. You can creat a law five minutes ago that makes it easier for non kenyans to come and invest their talent and money here. screw citizenship let them come.

    You cannot plan for 2030 now things keep changing so fast but you can creat a system that adapts to changing times as early as tomorrow.

    We need to think out of the box.
    Silly paid up adverts on time magazine and fortune magazine don't help. Just ensure anybody with a good business I idea has rights to it that cannot be just stolen by a few greedy pigs that think they must be part of all money making schemes within these borders.

    Start a investor/entrepenuer conference every end of month at KICC where kenyans and anyone else with Ideas can come together so that those with ideas but no money can meet those with money and no Ideas and you will be suprised how fast that alone can spur growth within a year.


    I happen to know that there are many kenyans with money but nowhere to invest. Anyone form Africa is wellcome to come sell their Ideas. Call it the idea market.

    We can hold it in kisumu, eldi,naks mombasa......hell if we all get together we could even creat a mwanaanchi Bank which can give soft loans etc etc.....we don't NEED a vision 20WHATever.

    Get kenyans invovled stop this nonsense of 'WE' shall give out a new district.... with who's money?

    Who has a district to give? you pay the gava to provide a service then they turn around and behave as if they are doing you a favour.
    kalooser's brand of servant leadership.....no wonder we have a vision 2030. ITS A HOAX!!!!!

    Sir Alex

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  7. Why does not somebody mention the money certain Kenyans have stashed either abroad - money stolen from Kenyan people. The Kenyattas are estimated to have around 3 Billion $, Moi and his sons about 8 Billion $, Biwott about 4 Billion $, Kibaki is estimated about 2 Billion, the Odingas the same. Add to this some other crooks, not to forget those Asians who have always taken a big piece of the cake (called corruption) - and you will have all the money Kenya needs for the next 50 years or so.
    But it is so much easier to ask some called Donor countries, even when it comes to feed and house the poorest people. Just remember the scene when the former President surrounded by journalists and some stupid people praising him for his humanity, gave some 50 sacks of maize to the starving IDP's in Baringo..... just to digest this, I repeat: 50 sacks ..... this man could have fed the whole country for years using just some interest of the money he has abroad without touching the capital itself. But nobody dares to mention this. This is the real shame of Kenya and some other African countries in which similar crooks are exploiting their country without ever feeling any regret.

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  8. Phil, if you keep posting this kind of post I will never fight you, and that a promise.
    This is one of my favourite subjects but I will not be able to comment on it now. I need to get the facts first. I don’t write stories or fictions, only facts.

    We should ignore first Anon@ 7.05 and all negative minds commenting here. Kenya is capable to do even better.
    India and China have emerged to become the fast-growing economy in the world, all this in spite of the economic disparity between the urban affluent and the rural poor.
    Both these countries have similar development strategies which I think Kenya can emulate. Both were star performers in aggregate GDP growth in 80’s and 90’s.
    China average growth rate is 10% and India 6% annually.

    If it was not for this stupid mindless Kenya post election violence, Kenya was rated alongside Argentina as one of the potential economies in global market.

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  9. In my humble opinion Chris
    Its most definitely is going to be exceptionally hard to raise the prerequisite investment, maintain political stability and achieve national cohesion all whilst doom merchants and Armageddon agents like you continue to linger around while claiming to be in exile.
    Nonetheless we continue to live in hope

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  10. Phil,

    my bad,

    I meant Phil and not Chris, albeit phrase birds of a feather comes to mind

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  11. does it take 22 years to build 1 road or even 22 roads?whenever a so called VIP is going to whatever part of the country isn't it funny how all roads leading to that area will spring up overnight?why do we do this lying to ourselves?if these jokers were serious about change they would do so overnight-this 2030 thing is just another scheme to pacify us as they grow fat cheeks and buy the latest imported italian suits

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  12. chris said: Well, for a country led by such self serving politicians who are also anti-reform, this plan is already doomed even before it starts'. In so far as the issue of ineqality is not dealt with as THE priority the vision 2030 may as well be vision 2030 BC. As it stand it will only increase the gap between the rich and the poor and this time their gunning for the whole hog. All 1.6 trillion of it.

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  13. chris said: Well, for a country led by such self serving politicians who are also anti-reform, this plan is already doomed even before it starts'. In so far as the issue of ineqality is not dealt with as THE priority the vision 2030 may as well be vision 2030 BC. As it stand it will only increase the gap between the rich and the poor and this time their gunning for the whole hog. All 1.6 trillion of it.

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  14. chris said: Well, for a country led by such self serving politicians who are also anti-reform, this plan is already doomed even before it starts'. In so far as the issue of ineqality is not dealt with as THE priority the vision 2030 may as well be vision 2030 BC. As it stand it will only increase the gap between the rich and the poor and this time their gunning for the whole hog. All 1.6 trillion of it.

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  15. The main reasons for somebody to invest in Kenya are

    1. political stability
    1.1. especially regarding corruption
    2. a sound infrastructure
    2.1. electricity
    2.2. good roads
    2.3. working railway system
    3. skilled labour forces
    4. assurance of Import Licences
    5. possibility to export the goods and not only producing for the local market.

    And now reply which of these points does Kenya fulfill right now - and you have the answer why this Vision (I would call it Illusion) will not work. There are some other countries who have overtaken Kenya in most of it. You don't have to look far. Tanzania has become a strong competitor in all sectors, including Tourism. Thanks also to the willingness of its Government to fight corruption.

    But Kenya still worships those who have been so clever to cheat and rob. Here those are regarded as local heroes who have collected (stolen) the most. They are put on a pedestal without ever been made responsible.

    It's here where Kenya has to change. It has to learn to make these people (Kenyattas, Mois, Biwotts, Kibakis and all the others) face justice. Not just with empty words, but with deeds like the Tanzanians and some others do.

    It is not easy - but it is possible.

    Maybe then Kenya and Kenyans have a future and not just a hollow piece of paper.

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  16. Why would a government enact a thing as V2030? At the turn of the last century, we had the 2000 bug that was supposedly meant to make computers crash the world over and that would have been as they speculated catastrophic. The programs implemented by foreign govts were within their departments. They did not have to create a whole new "dept for BUG 200."

    Running a mere ministry on a day-to-day basis is a monumental task for those so called ministers & ass-ministers who claim they are idle most if not all the time. How the hell can you project programs in the future is they cannot merely implement and bring to fruition the programs and policies efficiently they have on the table now?

    This V2030 is the biggest pipe dream being flaunted. God needs to rid us of these goons masquarading as VISIONARIES.

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  17. Phil/Chris

    Hope in your next post, you spare some time to capture and reflect on some of the positive thoughts coming through e.g sir alex 8:13, anon 8:37, you can see a pattern of some concrete issues, these can be connected to many other documents currently gathering dust on shelves, because we know kenyans are not short of ideas, and maybe somewhere through this haze we can overcome the challenges and enforce the MPS to legislate or create avenues (and stop blocking intitiatives) for us (kenyans) to take charge of our livelihood

    UrXlnc

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  18. One thing this politicians don't seem to get is that kenya needs change like yesterday and they are willing to do their part.

    We don't need poor excuses like emelios that 5yrs is too short a time. Anyone knows how long the dotcom era lasted? and how many people became rich literaly overnight?

    We need to think outside the box conventional models will not work.
    A new constitution nxt yr why? We have armies of unemployed lawers iddling...

    We now have 20 universities obvioulsy they may lack qualified people SA is busy burning up professors from west africa for being foreigners we can capture this talent screw the workpermits.
    We don't need 20yrs to do that.


    lots of talent in Asia. A few guys working very hard ca turn Mombasa into a free port in 6months.

    What is stopping all this from happening is shenzis who want to...dish out district...in other words they want a development they can pretend they initiated so as to get votes form it......

    Thats the number one enemy of development thats why areas dimmed not to have votes for one reason or another see no development never mind the real potential. And ares dimmed to have votes get white elephants. That has been kenyas development model.

    THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.....My fellow cuontry men and women this is the time to act our response to this document should send a strong message about what we want.

    KKs this is the time to LOBBY your representatives...Mps Kajoras to give FEED BACK lets get this message across that we are tired of all this tomorrow NONSENSE!!!

    We want things yesterday.


    Sir ALex

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  19. Just reviewing some of the findings on "clean water for all 2000"

    http://www.worldlakes.org/uploads/Kenya%20wetland.htm

    hope to get some positive reports too, but unless we can face up to previous projects, then creating new visions is glamorous but highly unlikely.

    there are usually a handful of resourceful guys who can introduce some positive debate, hope they get in here before we switch back to the baseline

    UrXlnc

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  20. It appears tve V2030 is multi-facted

    http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143988199&cid=14

    would appreciate someone posting the full text sometime.

    Whereas I agree with the spirit in the above article, i'm not sure its tackling the problem at the source or an elaborate masking of the symptoms of a problem. hope some urban planners can share some strategies on this. there are many documents currently touching on urban congestion its pitfalls and challenges (transpotation, housing, services such as water, electricity etc) as well as potential remedies and recommendations.

    the probability of success in reducing transportation costs through modernisation of commuter services and infrastructure is much lower than that of increasing the commuter (economically empowered worker) base that can afford efficient transport services

    i.e broadly speaking, its not progressive to degrade services to reach the poverty line rather it makes more sense to elevate the economic levels of citizens so that they can afford basic srvices.

    UrXlnc

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  21. isn't suspicious for kibaki suddenly to heap praises on Raila?? when he hasn't so a long time?? wan't it to cover what he had already in the pipe line(the murder of kones and laboso)

    what does a murderer do before killing you or your family id you know them?? they sing your praises so loud in public and to anyone who can hear them- because if something happens to you people will remember only the praises and discount such a person to have ever planned to murder you or your family.

    when I watched kibaki praising Raila on T.V must first thoughts were what does he want from Raila and second thought was what has he done to act in such a way out of line with his personality and indeed his way of doing things

    kibaki does not praise anyone easily - the only other time looking back was when Raila said Kibaki Tosho

    kenyans think again and go back look at that T.V shoot and look at how kibaki talks-
    it is of a man who is trying too had to push something not genuine.

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  22. Phil
    You started out well focussing on the blueprint before you dived into the muddy pool of "ODM is teaching PNU" this or that.

    Nonetheless, you have done good to refocuss the discussion here on something substantive - the socio-politico-economic future of our country. I don't share the pessimism of those who say that we cannot achieve the Vision 2030. If we can manage the political side of the Vision, then the other aspects will slowly fall into place. Already, before the post-election self-destruction there were concrete signs that the nation was slowly moving, albeit unevenly, in that direction. It will take us a while to climb out of the hole we dug ourselves into. But climbimg out, we must and will. After travelling widely, I can attest that Kenyans, as a people, are very hard working people. But while we reasonably mistrust the govt, we nevertheless place too much expectation in what it can do for us. We hate the govt yet love our local politicians who make up that govt. If we want to clean the govt we must clean our local politicians first. If they tell us to go and clobber another tribe we must first ask why and if there is no good answer we must clobber those politicians instead. There is a limit as to how much we can keep blaming our politicians without examining our own ethos.

    Harmonisation of the manifestoes is a wonderful first step. Besides incorporating the best ideas, it also makes the various parties feel they own a part of the vision. That way, if a different party comes to power in the future the likelihood of drastic course alteration is small.

    Vision 2030 is a daunting task, but it is doable. Even if we were to achieve half of the goals, we would have a reason to celebrate.

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  23. isn't suspicious for kibaki suddenly to heap praises on Raila?? when he hasn't so a long time?? wan't it to cover what he had already in the pipe line(the murder of kones and laboso)

    what does a murderer do before killing you or your family id you know them?? they sing your praises so loud in public and to anyone who can hear them- because if something happens to you people will remember only the praises and discount such a person to have ever planned to murder you or your family.

    when I watched kibaki praising Raila on T.V must first thoughts were what does he want from Raila and second thought was what has he done to act in such a way out of line with his personality and indeed his way of doing things

    kibaki does not praise anyone easily - the only other time looking back was when Raila said Kibaki Tosho

    kenyans think again and go back look at that T.V shoot and look at how kibaki talks-
    it is of a man who is trying too had to push something not genuine.

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  24. To make this V2030 work, the most basic and urgent issues need to be attended to:

    1.-Kofi Annan Issues-These are being ignored.That negotiators are in the cabinet, they no longer pay much attention. This is very dangerous.
    Cant Kibaki and Raila replace them with those who are not "too busy making own money at the expense of the urgency that brought up these negotiations in the first palce"
    2.-IDPs-This is a time bomb-sh30 billion they said.only Sh1.Billion has been raised.IDPs no longer trust the politicians.The host community feels the same.This thing will never settle without the necessary political will,which is now lacking
    3.-Amnesty-The most lethal issue today. Dec2007 theft of elections brought a crises.Solution was political and not judicial as PNU dreamed. Likewise,the
    Amnesty issue requires a political approach. Try the guilty (with evidence) and release the innocent (without evidence that can stand in court).Selective treatment of "criminals" is what will kill the Grand coalition Government

    4-Cost of living-Millions of Kenyans are wallowing in economic hardship. The greatest threat is the hungry Kenyan. V2030 and kadhalika are songs to him/her

    Start from basics and not from the top (dreams) for V2030 documents to avoid the usual shelving that we are used to.
    Politicians are walking alone, and not with the people.They may not get far with the highly politicised, and tribalised Kenyan

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  25. anon 10:31 brings in a very valid reality check

    I hope chris you are making note and will compile all this into some well structure article

    UrXlnc

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  26. I read with shock that somebody here wants to import labour forces from China and other African countries. Don't you know that they are doing jobs which nobody else wants to do - like cleaning, sweeping the floors of some rich people etc.? Do you really plan to have another time bomb in Kenya like in South Africa? What Kenya really needs is investment in infra structure (affordable housing, clean water, regular electricity supply, better and more roads, a modern transport system and a Mombasa Port which functions in accordance with international standards). It is not wise to create more unemployment in bringing in foreigners. It is more important to attract Kenyans to stay in their country and NOT go abroad to search for greener pastures which even our own Chris-Kumekucha has done recently. There are many young and intelligent people around. They only need some input and some hope making them stay and work all together for a better country. If socalled investors come in, they should be obliged to train and educate Kenyans enabling them to step in and make a decent living. What does it help a country whose intelligence does not see any reason to stay - and bring in foreigners instead.

    This is what this Vision should focus on: make Kenya a better country - economically and politically.

    I think there are a lot of people who have realized that it is worth fighting for this goal. The only danger in my eyes lies in the fact that some may think that they have done enough already or - and that's even worse - that the system will anyway never change. So they prefer to dream about 2012 or even 2017. But if we do not see the chance we have right now, we will never make it.

    It's as simple as that.

    P.S. See also my other post as Anon 8:37 AM.

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  27. anon 11:12 AM and anon10:21 A

    thanks for your informative posts - please continue posting more this are the kind of posts we need to read on kumekucha - makes sense - so how do we make our leaders understand this simple logic's?? since they same out of touch with ordinary kenyans - they seem to be politicizing for themselves and positioning for the next elections while ordinary Kenyans look on with confusion and disgust??
    what can we do to make this changes as ordinary Kenyans??

    I feel since the coalition - we are stuck in this big ditch and we can't crawl out of it and it is in fact getting worse and worse! something is going to blow up in our faces!! can other people see what i'm seeing here on ground?? there is mumbling everywhere i go now people are claiming the politicians are only interested in their big pay cheques and they have done nothing to deserve all that pay- while ordinary Kenyans are still suffering and every politician seems to be reading from different scripts and this in essence confuses many kenyans??

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  28. anon 11:12 AM and anon10:21 A

    thanks for your informative posts - please continue posting more this are the kind of posts we need to read on kumekucha - makes sense - so how do we make our leaders understand this simple logic's?? since they same out of touch with ordinary kenyans - they seem to be politicizing for themselves and positioning for the next elections while ordinary Kenyans look on with confusion and disgust??
    what can we do to make this changes as ordinary Kenyans??

    I feel since the coalition - we are stuck in this big ditch and we can't crawl out of it and it is in fact getting worse and worse! something is going to blow up in our faces!! can other people see what i'm seeing here on ground?? there is mumbling everywhere i go now people are claiming the politicians are only interested in their big pay cheques and they have done nothing to deserve all that pay- while ordinary Kenyans are still suffering and every politician seems to be reading from different scripts and this in essence confuses many kenyans??

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  29. Its all very well to have a so called vision plan with growth targets of 10%.
    Kenya will however NEVER develop as long as politicians think they are the ones to effect that growth without involving the general population in their plans. These politicians in fact have no clue about how to go about this ambitious project, and you can bet your back teeth that they imagine foreign investors and Kenyan big business will lead that effort and the politicians can then sit back and take the eventual credit.
    Growth will only come when the small businessman, inventor, farmer, doctor, scientist, engineer,Jua Kali guy etc., is the focus and the core of that effort. These people are there in Kenya and the diaspora in their hundreds of thousands, if not millions.
    What the politicians should be talking about is how to financially empower these people with credit and sound business advise for start-ups and to put strong emphasis on export markets for their products. This will ensure they attain world class standards quickly and at the same time sell their products and earn substantial incomes. If you have 200000 people(0.6% of the population) earning just 5000US$/month(Not even 50000US$ or 100000US$,let alone 1 million US$) from exports, that is 1 billionUS$ in the country/month!
    All this income will have the ripple effect of creating massive employment and consequent economic activity.
    There are practical small steps the Govt can take like talking to the Banks and making them change their negative lending mentality, for example.

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  30. You cant build a mansion when you have 4 civil engineers, 6 architects and 1 mason.

    Moreover you cant build even a hut where there is an earthquake and robbers allover.

    Vision 2030 is a mirage. Try Vision 2150. You and I will not witness it, believe me Phil.

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  31. good post kimi

    anon 1:09, i hear you and many us understand that very well.

    what we however want to do is make sure somehow either we or at least our children do not have to spend another night in the rain over and over.

    as we all know we have a surplus of ideas through documented studies undertaken by ourselves or others so am sure that one way or another, we will overcome this monster.

    UrXlnc

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  32. Give me time waster mutuas salary a diplomatic passport and in six months I can turn this economy around even under the current economic quagmire. fist stop eastleigh, second stop drc then SA middle east. rwanda, tripoli. US, UK back to kenya in three months and our lives will never be the same.

    kenya has so much potential realisable in less than one yr that can be unleashed jana.
    2030 we could send a maned spaceship to mars. Sir Alex

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  33. Vision........ WHAT?

    In the richest country in the world, in the second largest city of this country, is a mayor whose ten generations need not work or lift a finger. Yet in this city, the mayor earns only $1 a year, rides public transportation like the rest or most that live there to and from work.

    What a NOBLE gesture.

    Chris, please try and sell this concept and have our politicians embrace it before they come up with.... WHAT.... VISION.

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  34. Kenya, keep on dreaming!!

    Kibaki,Kiviuti,Biwott, Moi,Kalonzo,Kimunya,Deepak Kamani, Prof Kimya, Murungaru, Murungi, Karua, Uhuru have long fulfilled their Vision 2030.

    You will reach nowhere, when these criminals still determine the fate of Kenya.

    Development needs good leadership, infrastructure, education (skilled education included), thinkers (not 8-4-4 cramming generation) and democracy (faithful and trustworthy atmosphere).

    Do you believe in hard working to generate money in Kenya? Kenya is a country where only criminals are rich. Innocent people end up in prison.

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  35. "Vision 2030: Reality or Mirage?"

    While the rich drink from the "oasis", the poor keep drinking from the "mirage" being sold to them every FIVE YEARS as an "oasis".

    Little do they know that it is and always will be a "mirage" for them unless they turn to their real enemies "selling" them apples instead of "oranges" and not their NEIGHBORS.

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  36. anon1:30 PM
    i totally agree with you- where are our young men - 35-45 this is the new generation that need to stand up and take over? where are you ladies and gentlemen?? kenya needs you now! not tomorrow now- you can't keep talking from out there - you need to come back and fight this old geezers and their backward ways of developing our country - traveling abroad you meet brilliant kenyans from all walks and all they say they are waiting for kenya to change before they come back? what?? who will change it for you when you leave the same people at the wheel year in year out?? example the brilliant posts on kumekucha offering suggestions- how do you put all this ideas together and move it to kenya?? while you are far away??
    why don't you set up a development club abroad then go back to kenya and hold sessions with your age groups and make it a movement??
    peoples movements work when it comes to changing mind frames

    one example was recent China and sudun "darfur" connection- i do recall for many years china has ben fighting the rest of the world to stop sending trops to Darfur sudan because of their oil interests in the area and protecting the Sudanese genocide government - but look waht made them change their minds?? peoples movements and it come to boil when a whole from different countries was against the olympics being held in china becuase of thier close connections with the Sudanese government- guess what they rushed a security council meeting and china was the first country to raise hands when the vote was placed for UN troupes to be sent to Darfur(why because they did not want to lose holding the olympics)- see it was because of the peoples movemnet that made china change it's mind if you recall how many resolutions had been past before and no action taken?

    My suggestion sis to get to gether and hold economic seminars for the betterment of kenya and get the grass root movement from the young generation- open an office or offices in some towns in Kenya
    deal with the areas like
    1. Mining
    2 agriculture
    3. tourism
    at least the main industries that can boast kenyan economy

    why not?? why should muzungu's be traveling to kenya?? paid to hold seminars when the same people are coming from right where you are abroad?? who knows Kenya's needs better?? you or them??

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  37. by election updates , any one ?????
    chris umelala wake up bana !

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  38. anon 4:39

    capital fm is usually a good source for unofficial update until they decide to go partisan and then usually tear down anything

    http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/Local/ODM-snaps-up-Ainamoi-and-Wajir-North.html

    UrXlnc

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  39. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  40. who is in the lead in Nairobi??embakasi andy news??

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  41. KENYANS READ THIS STORY CAREFULLY DOES IT MAKE SENSE

    THE TEENAGER WAS ON TOP OF THE HOUSE FIXING THE ROOF AND THEN THE STORY BECOMES STRANGE- HE SAYS HE COULDN'T SEE THE PLAN FALLING FROM THE SKY AND LANDED NOT FAR FROM HIM BECAUSE OF POOR VISIBILITY AS THE NATION KIKUYU PRESS REPORTS??

    HOW CAN ONE CLIMB ON TOP OF A HOUSE TO REPLACE A ROOF WITH POOR VISIBILITY??
    ANSWER ME THAT ONE.
    IT CONTINUES - HE DIDN'T COME TO REPORT TO THE POLICE WHEN THE PLAN CRUSHED BUT WAIT A MINUTE?? HE RESURFACED ON WEDNESDAY TO GIVE A REPORT??
    SO THIS POOR VISIBILITY AND BAD WEATHER STORY MAKING ROUNDS??

    Teenager tells of his escape from death

    Story by MUCHEMI WACHIRA
    Publication Date: 6/12/2008

    Eighteen-year-old Kamau Muthoni escaped death by a whisker when the ill-fated aircraft carrying minister Kipkalya Kones, assistant minister, Lorna Laboso and two others crashed a few metres from him.

    “I saw the plane hit three cypress trees, one 20 metres away from where I was trying to construct the roof of a hut,” Muthoni recounted.

    But instead of falling where he was, the aircraft flew over him and onto the roof of the main house.

    “I could not believe it when I saw it (the aircraft) crash the roof. It was like lightning,” he told the Nation.

    He was the only person in the compound of David Gathii where the aircraft crashed, killing all on board.

    Mr Gathii, a retired CID officer, does not live in the house. He lives in Nairobi where he operates various businesses.

    “The owner (Mr Gathii) had allowed me to put up a small hut in his compound where I would be assisting to do various jobs in the five-acre farm,” Mr Muthoni.

    Muthoni, who repairs bi bicycles at the neighbouring Konjong’a trading centre, started building the hut a few days ago.

    On Tuesday, the young man was in the process of completing the construction but the hut is still incomplete after the plane crash.

    Right from the morning hours, Muthoni says he had a premonition that something bad would happen.

    “Since leaving my mother’s house in the morning, I had a bad feeling as I went to the place where I was constructing the hut,” he recalled.

    Loud noise

    Just after 2pm, he says he heard a loud noise that first confused him.

    “The visibility was very poor but I could see the outline of a plane coming down to me so I quickly jumped off the roof.”

    Before fleeing the scene, he said he heard passengers screaming.

    “I did not know what was happening but the screams were not from one person... I fled in shock and I only returned there after a big crowd had gathered,” he said.

    But when people started asking him questions on what he had seen, he decided to stay away from the place until Wednesday when he resurfaced.

    Mr Mwangi Ndung’u and his wife Hannah take care of the house on whose roof the aircraft landed but the couple was away on Tuesday.

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  42. MORE STRANGE A PILOT NORMALLY GETS WEATHER REPORTS AND VISIBILITY BEFORE TAKE OFF AND IS IN CONTACT WITH THE HEAD OFFICE IF HE SENSES BAD WEATHER AHEAD JUST IN CASE?? WHAT DID THE PILOT REPORT??
    IF THEY WERE HITTING BAD WEATHER LIKE THE DOMO'S IN GOVERNMENT INDICATED?? DOES NOT MAKE SENSE STILL-


    Aviation body says Pilot was experienced


    Publication Date: 6/12/2008

    Pilot Schner-Christopher who was flying the ill-fated Cessna 210 airplane that crashed and killed him alongside Roads minister, Kipkalya Kones, Home Affairs assistant minister, Lorna Laboso and police officer, Kennedy Bett was an experienced pilot.

    Christopher had clocked 500 flying hours in the Cessna six-seater plane that the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) says was well maintained and had a valid airworthiness certificate.

    According to the KCAA Public Relations Officer, Mutia Mwandiko, the plane was airworthy and fully insured.

    But as the investigators continue to piece together what could have happened before the crash, it has emerged that the pilot was using the visual flight rule as opposed to the instrument control rule, where the pilot receives directions from the control tower.

    Visual flight

    Aviation sources say that in visual flight rule, the pilot uses landmarks such as escarpments, mobile provider base transmission stations (masts) and bridges to mark the flight path to the destination.

    They said he left Wilson Airport and confirmed he had been successfully transferred to the area control, which monitors all flying aircraft countrywide.

    Most pilots who opt to use the visual flight rule, prefer to communicate with their airborne colleagues and advise each other on weather patterns and the heights of their respective flight paths.

    Mr Mwandiko said it was common for pilots flying over Maasai Mara to use the visual flight rule.

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  43. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT9jbgWw1to

    Kipchoge KINO or kipchoge KEINO?

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  44. V2030 is all well and good but it may be seen in time to be mere placating if the key issues are not attended to with 12 months. There's no time to waste.

    0. Who Killed Ouko?
    1. Constitution
    2. Rapid development in areas under served for the last two generations.
    3. Political Accountability
    4. Land restitution
    5. Institutional transparency.

    Otherwise, we are simply putting the cart before the horse.

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  45. It is quite interesting that when the economic powerhouses are predicting economic decline, we expect that kind of growth in the vision 2030. However, it is better to be optimistic, but it cannot work unless vital institutions are made transparent and accountable. Kenya has such low societal interactions that unless institutions that create cooperation are strengthened or created, there will be no consensus, and no real improvement either

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  46. very interesting and encouraging transparency and public participation on miracle year vision 2030!!!!!!! my coment and impidiment is, how can we explain the challenges of unemployment to vision 2030 since, unemployment in the most social-ill among our country?

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