This archive report was first published on 25 October 2019.
Kenya's election season is a time for reform, with politicians calling for changes to the electoral agency. However, this agitation for change is often mislabeled as electoral reforms.
Reforms are not inherently bad, and they have contributed to Kenya's progress as a vibrant, multi-party state with a progressive constitution.
However, the public's trust in civil society has eroded, with many viewing them as hired mouthpieces of donors and the West.
Moreover, those who were once part of civil society are now elected officials, and have become the very politicians they once fought against.
It's time to move beyond electoral reforms and focus on more pressing issues such as education, climate change, and the economy.
Take the blue economy, for example. What do we understand by the term, and how can we create opportunities for the future?
Climate change is another pressing issue, with countries like South Africa rationing water, while in Nairobi, most inhabitants have to buy water.
As the population grows, the economy must move quickly to survive.
Recently, President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the Nairobi-Suswa train service and officiated at the ground breaking ceremony for the Naivasha Inland Container Depot.
Transport impacts the economy greatly, and every economic decision taken today affects the lives of millions of people.
A recent report showed that foreign travel for Members of the County Assembly rose by 76.4% from Ksh682 million ($6.82 million) to Ksh1.2 billion ($12 million).
When visions such as Agenda 2030 are not adhered to with the urgency they deserve, then goals will be mismatched.
The choices being made about who sits on particular boards, such as for the National Employment Authority, must be solid.
It is a dangerous place to be in, with a large young mass population and hardly any allies in sectors to come to workable solutions.
We must change the way we do the things we do...and we must not carry out reforms for their own sake.
— Nerima Wako-Ojiwa is executive director of Siasa Place. Twitter: @NerimaW
