Rwanda: The new 'Benchmark'

My current assignment is a Rwandan food policy assignment. am in the business with my two other colleagues to articulate a food security strategic plan for the Rwandan standards bureau and i will tell you, it is quite a great honour to be the think tank behind such a macro economic initiative. I would not wish to brag but all i wish is to share my experience on what forms part of this great nation. I must say, Rwanda is a great place to go, and if my boss so wishes, i will not mind accompanying him, even if it means i will play the bodyguard.

The Rwandan landscape is hilly and they experience two dry seasons with tropical rainfall averaging 1400 mm per annum. These people grow kidney beans, maize, sorghum, millet, and rice. as a matter of fact, the cash crops are not within their priority but a few of them plant coffee, tea and sugar cane. it is also worthy noting that the Rwandan people haven't embraced commercial agriculture as a result of their small acreage of land. they rare mostly goats and cattle with 12% of the population keeping pigs and 9% keeping sheep.

Looking at their social structure, you will realize, that it is still defined by the horrendous genocide that descended on the land in 1994. most households are headed by female, most of who are in their early forties. only 2% of the Rwandan people are above sixty years but a majority are in the ages between 5 to 24 years. the heads of the households are not literate and speak French.

Basing on the above statistics, the Rwandan government has embarked on the service sector to sustain its economy given, their natural resources cannot be able to sustain the regional competition from nations like Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The ICT, toursim, banking, health and other service industries are booming and this has made many multi nationals including hotel chains and beverage companies like coca cola to set foot here.

Looking at this statistics, you will realize that there's no reason that Rwanda has to be the fastest growing economy in east Africa that Kenya does not have. As we speak, our policy environment is a benchmark in the region, and our natural resources if that can qualify to be a competitive advantage is already a leverage. we have adopted a constitution that is rare yet highly coveted among African states, Our education system is the best education all over Africa. We are also strategically positioned on the east coast of Africa and most multi nationals prefer setting foot in Africa through Kenya.

The Masai Mara is the greatest national park in the continent, and our private sector is also among the best around this continent. Rwanda is doing good, and we ought to do better because that is our pedigree, and that is our inheritance, for Kenya is a great nation. just look around, Nairobi is among the most beautiful cities around Africa and i must say that is something to be proud of given that we have not been producing oil. Now we have oil, we have rear earth in Kwale county, and a water reservoir that can quench our thirsty for 70 years. we also have vast tracks of land and so many natural endowments. Come on Kenya, think about that and stop the hullabaloo, lets get to work and refuse to be pulled back by retrogressive politics. 

In a quagmire of distress

Seated at the office and perusing the publications of Forbes magazine, it dawned on me that Kenya as a nation is very conspicuous among its African peers. Nairobi is recognised internationally as an entry point to east Africa and Africa as a whole. but maybe this time round, we have been on the international media headlines but all for the wrong reason. today i read that Nairobi is among the worst reputed cities around the world. this is a study done and we don't seem to be performing any better.

Looking at Nairobi, our political system is at its worst. the government of the day cant seem to agree on any one thing. the discord and dissension is sending shock waves to our tranquil society and soon our tribal temperatures will burst out the tolerance balloon. word is going around that the two top most government officials might be holding different opinion on the issue of icc. They might be machinations to have the deputy president put into custody in the event the president will not honour the court summon. We are proving to be pivotal in international politics especially with regard to the recent unfolding events at the African Union summit.

Nairobi is now besieged by controversy and discord. it is very clear that alshabab have and still are hiding in our bedroom. our house seem to be divided against itself and soon it might never stand tall again. internationally, it will soon be a no go zone if indeed we shall continue pointing fingers and letting our enemy stipulate and draft our calendar. The suspicion amongst different religious creeds is rising, churches are going up in flames following an event of a slain sheikh. am still contemplating on what the future has got in store for this nation.

with tribal undertones becoming louder, skewed government appointments and excessive corruption within our corridors of power, it is difficult to comprehend if indeed we are moving towards vision twenty thirty. it is impunity for an entire kenyan public to be aware that 300 billion of our taxes cannot be counted for and allow that dust to settle in the sinking sands. it is impunity for an entire cabinet secretary to contravene the rule of law and establish an office that is strange in this constitutional dispensation all in the name of national interest.

it is impunity for us to be silent when the human rights commission is in a quagmire waiting for tribal mobilization to set stage for the next officer holders. and our impunity has now gone overboard, the social media is burning with venom of tribal talk, frustrated kenyans have now resorted to vomit their tribal bile on the social media platform for the sole reason of party affiliations. Freedom of speech and expression has now been undermined and it has escaped the moral fabric and is now reaching the helms of hell where cold heartedness is at its helm. the glory of this great nation is fading into corruption selfishness and an excessive tribal appetite. our sense of nationalism has now been downplayed and going forward, the kenyanism in our young brothers and sisters may never be testified. I do not know what might just happen to us next

Dangote is in Town

The richest man in Africa Aliko Dangote is planning to set up a cement processing facility in Kitui county. This will be good news to the semi arid county whereby an estimated 180 square kilometre of land is limestone the raw material necessary in cement manufacturing. The ripple effect is worthy noting given that most of the local processor such as East Africa's Portland Cement have been recently frequenting Mr. Julius Malombe The governor of Kitui County's office to strike a deal. Is that good news to us?
Cement is a key product and a fundamental infrastructure in our building and construction industry. Dangote is injecting 34 billion in to our economy and that is something we can smile about. 34 billion will ensure a modern facility that is efficient and effective. whether bamburi or east Africa Portland cement will keep up with this pace, it is non of my business. what is important to me is that in the near future cement prices might be shrinking and good and quality housing might just be affordable to the average Kenyan. technology is a pedestal for cost cutting measures and modern technology in cement manufacturing is sweet music to the Kenyan ear.
The ripple effect of the entrance of the Nigerian tycoon into the Kenyan cement market is amazing. If it will come to pass that the whole limestone resource within kitui county will be acquired by Mr Dangote, then our local manufacturers have to think very loudly. i see the sun setting on this local manufacturers and it is time that they do not have an otherwise, it is time to come home roasting, the slaughter man Mr. Dangote is ready. what will happen with the presence of a post modern cement facility, prices will drastically reduce, competitors like Bamburi will have to follow the price cutting trend, building and construction will be cheaper and eventually in the long run, good quality housing will be affordable by the whole Kenyan populace.
Maybe you are sceptical that this will kill our local cement industry? it may and it may also not, it will produce a desperate moment for them, and if they are wise, then they will have to act desperately to safeguard their market share. Kenya is a country of  40 million people with only 40 millionaires. that statistic is worrying, it is actually a violation of the natural law and it is time we should think of doing justice to majority of Kenyans. if dangote's move will enable the poor or lower middle class access better housing, a thing that Bamburi has failed to do for the last 50 years, then why should we not rejoice. it is time we should be taking from the haves to give to the have nots, and that is justice.
I therefore welcome Honourable Dangote, for the youths of Kituyi county need jobs, The logistics companies need to diversify their clientèle and the Kenyan people need cheap cement. for more information on business news please vist http://www.bizage.co.ke/
shalom

The Brouhaha Continues Shortly

The future is with us, it is in our hands and with an ambitious constitution we should be steadfast in ensuring we live by the contemplations of the constitution and perpetuate the Kenyan spirit of hard work and diligence. The future is an imagination, and so is progressive and success. How we evaluate success is a matter of discretion and contextual, that is why in my previous blog, I mentioned why for sometimes we have been celebrating mediocre achievements.
As if that is not enough, the glory of our developmental journey as east Africa's largest economy can only sound as an insult to the masses languishing in abject poverty and despaired at the mercy of ignorance. Being part of the society and with a keen follow up to the recent unfolding events, protecting our territorial integrity and securing our borders seems to be a matter of priority. Its shameful that we should be reminding our security agencies of such a fundamental measure at such like time when our house should already be in order.
Must our heads be bloodied before we can be vigilant in protecting our territory. Our carelessness has shamefully been exposed to the world thanks to major General Micheal Gichangi and company. should that therefore kill our spirit, I hope not in this season.
Back to business, the elephant will still quench its thirst regardless of the noisy frogs at the river. Alshabab is struggling to be a necessary evil in our society and to kill the Kenyan spirit and make sure our economy is back on its knees. By the way that is achievable, if we shall stick to the current status quo and ignore the call for vigilance of changing and rearrangement of our apparatus. How long shall alshabaab remind us that the enemy is in our bedroom and unless we act, the wounds on our bloodied heads will soon advance towards our brain cells.
Does the recent events at the mall reveal who our real enemies are, sometimes back i was sceptical about president Kenyatta's regional integration and the sudden focus on intra Africa trade. How dare did the American government release travel advisory to its citizens yet such people claim to be champions of antiterrorism. If terrorism is a global threat, since when did Kenya become an alien to the international community to be victimised further by a terror attack. Did this American government walk their talk by selfishly advising their citizens never to come near our town? Now did they do the same when their Embassy in the heart of Nairobi was attacked? But at least we now know who our friends are, do not misquote me, I  don't think I have mentioned China, I haven't heard of that name since our streets started flying with ammunitions.
After a period of disguised unity #weareone, the only time Kenyans discovered that they have a common external enemy, the hullabaloo is on, the blame game is now louder and our short period of patriotism was finally and officially called off when reports had it that victory is in our hands. This reminded me of the famous Afro cinema slogan 'Afrocinema continues shortly'. if I were to put down the chronicles that followed the westgate terror attack, then my book would be titled.....'the brouhaha continues shortly,' for shortly, we became patriotic and generous Kenyans, and shortly our social media platform was full of kenyanism and condolences. How sweet and how compassionate can Kenyans be. but back to normal, the tribal propaganda is back to reign our airwaves, the blame game and name calling, as if we expected our sense of kenyanism to prevail, I am shocked that even the military is suffering victimization.
I am Kenyan and I love this nation, blaming Gichangi is human nature, that I must confess for in psalms 127, the lord reminds us that he is the ultimate custodian of our estates. Lets go back and pray Kenya, lets establish a guaranteed safety with the almighty, for in distress our so called friends ' Americans' ran, our self proclaimed friends 'China' were still in slumber land, but God will keep us away from the enemy and like David, he will deliver the enemy into our very hands. Pray hard and work hard too. Shalom