Let Hustlers Defeat Dynasties, System And Deep State For Us To thrive
The running conflict between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto could stem from differences in the economic philosophies they espouse. The President seeks high growth, while the DP is interested in shared prosperity and growth that leaves no one behind.
Besides, Mr Kenyatta heeds the urbane captains of industry as Dr Ruto listens to rural folks and the wretched of the earth.
The President believes in supply-oriented, top-down trickle economics and favours grandeur, infrastructure projects including ports and logistic centres like Lamu, Kisumu and Naivasha, the standard gauge railway, highways and bypasses like Dongo Kundu, JKIA-Westlands Expressway, Mau Summit and Mau Mau highway projects, while the DP prefers nimble, people-centric and demand-driven social programmes such as classrooms and health facilities, rural electrification, youth and women empowerment along with technical and vocational training.
Failed mission
The fine balance between the two was upended when ODM leader Raila Odinga entered the fray and, with the President, headed to Beijing on a failed mission to seek funding to extend the SGR to Kisumu, expand its port and set up an inland container depot. As if to spite the DP, this “handshake” project was routed to alienate Central- and North Rift communities along the Malaba railway line.
The President and his infrastructure projects have pushed the national debt closer to the Sh9 trillion ceiling. Even if he were to claim that his tenure has generated steady, decent growth, it has been a costly expenditure-led jobless experiment with negligible welfare improvements.
The government has let foreigners, including the Chinese, take up jobs meant for locals. A preserve of well-connected ‘tenderpreneurs’, it’s only the government tender opportunities, including Covid-19 mitigation, that have mattered.
After 57 years of near-complete domination by an elite — subsumed as “the dynasty”, “the system”, and “the deep state” — it’s time for a more inclusive, participatory bottom-up process, which is the essence of sustainable development. It would seem the people-driven “Hustler Nation” talk is a response to the arrogance displayed by BBI proponents.
Political calculations
The wretched of the earth are, understandably, resistant to the notion that two individuals — Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga — wield such immense powers that they could wilfully amend the Constitution to suit their political calculations.
Mr. Odinga has repeatedly threatened those opposed to this push that they risk being swept away by a “Tsunami”. After firing individuals credited with its electoral victory, this administration is flirting with draconian laws and a police state to ostensibly force dissidents into submission.
While this level of desperation is unheard of, the isolation of the DP, assault on democracy and violation of the Constitution is blamed on “the deep state” — long fingered for perpetuating electoral malpractice, corruption and State capture and accumulation of immense wealth by a few families.
Unquestionably, dynasty-driven agenda have impoverished and rendered many landless. Seemingly invincible, beneficiaries of the “system” continue to threaten the DP, vowing that he would not be on the ballot in 2022.
And with the “system” supposedly on his side, there are perceptions Mr Odinga’s ascendency to the presidency is a foregone conclusion — which is to say, “the system” , not Kenyans, will make him president.
The DP is spot-on: Our political conversations should not simply be about power and positions for a few but creating opportunities for all. And here, the man is walking the talk.
He is causing considerable angst amongst his opponents by challenging Kenyans to venture into and scale up their hustles through his “wheelbarrow economy”. Wheelbarrows and pushcarts can transform lives and be building stones for industrialisation.
No longer beholden to tribal identities and affiliations, youth know that, to thrive, they must first end the six-decade misrule of corrupt, self-centred and privileged few.
By Kennedy Chesoli
Source- https://nation.africa/
Let Hustlers Defeat Dynasties, System And Deep State For Us To thrive
