This archive report was first published on 24 July 2020.
Protecting Mama Mboga from Foreign E-commerce Giants ¶
As Kenya slowly reopens after four months of coronavirus restrictions, the lives of Mama Mboga, a vendor who sells fresh produce in Nairobi, have been severely impacted. In an interview, Maimuna, a Mama Mboga, expressed her concerns about the decline in customers, saying, “All of you are ordering your tomatoes and onions online,” with a catch in her voice.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a significant shift in the way people purchase fresh produce, with many opting for online shopping. Foreign-owned e-commerce platforms have taken advantage of this trend, expanding their distribution capacities to sell fresh produce online. This move has left Mama Mboga and other small indigenous entrepreneurs struggling to survive.
According to a newspaper story published in April, foreign-owned e-commerce platforms saw an opportunity to expand their distribution capacities and sell fresh produce online in the wake of movement restrictions. This move was met with approval from those who classify foreigners as “investors,” despite the fact that many of these foreigners rarely bring in meaningful foreign capital.
Instead, they use local capital and other in-country resources, including casual laborers, to operate. This has led to a situation where these operators inject little or no foreign capital into the economy, yet they are glorified as “foreign investors.”
As a result, Mama Mboga and other small indigenous entrepreneurs are being pushed out of business. The e-commerce platforms are now delivering fresh produce, making it even harder for Mama Mboga to compete.
It is time for the government to take action and create a mobile-based e-commerce platform run by Mama Mboga. By using data to predict market trends, the livelihoods of Mama Mbogas can be saved. This approach will also support the vision of food security and create significant convergences between aspiration and practice.
As Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, the former general secretary of the Pan-African Movement, once wrote, the government's policy threatens the survival of Mama Mboga across the continent. He called this a tunnel vision of development, only looking at the welfare of the minority rich and powerful at the expense of the impoverished and powerless underclass.
It is time for the government to show extraordinary leadership and find a solution to save Mama Mboga businesses. We must all be involved in this effort to protect the livelihoods of Mama Mboga and other small indigenous entrepreneurs.
