This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
President Uhuru Kenyatta's recent unveiling of a freight service from Nairobi to Naivasha and an inland container depot marks a significant step towards achieving the Big Four Agenda.
The move aims to boost Kenya's manufacturing industry, creating jobs and increasing production of goods that can be transported on the new railway.
Traders from neighboring countries were initially concerned that they would be required to use the new line for the transport of their own goods. However, the President assuaged their concerns by letting them know that they were welcome to use any means of transportation they find suitable.
According to the President, the new rail line will complement the transport industry, rather than replacing truck drivers. This will ensure that the transport industry continues to grow and develop, as Kenyan manufacturing expands and more goods need to be moved.
The inauguration of the freight service and the industrial park reflect the long-term thinking characteristic of a good leader, as highlighted by the old proverb, “he who eats an egg foregoes a future meal of chicken soup.”
While some have complained that the freight service is expensive and that building a new industrial park costs too much money, the President argues that investing in the manufacturing industry is essential for Kenya's economic future.
Renewing Kenya's manufacturing industry, which has historically not been the country's strongest, is an integral investment in the country's economic future. The immediate outcome will be more job creation, as employment rates are not as good as they can be.
The creation of this industrial park in Naivasha, as well as others around the country, will lead to more manufacturing jobs in rural locations across Kenya. As a long-term investment, transforming manufacturing into one of Kenya's main industries will strengthen the economy for years to come.
Kenya is in need of this kind of visionary thinking, that extends far beyond what is needed in the present. The Vision 2030 goals lay out a plan for the next decade, but what is needed is an economic plan for the next century, to ensure that Kenya becomes a medium-income country no longer ravaged by the scars of colonialism.
Creating financial stability is key to our progress. Despite being a leading country in East Africa, Kenya still remains one of the world's poorest countries. The BBI points out that shared prosperity is one of the main problems we need to focus on as a country.
High inequality has put us in a sort of economic deadlock, where the wealthy become wealthier but at too high of a cost, and the economically disadvantaged remain in an unbreakable cycle of poverty. This inequality is a fundamental cause of conflict in Kenyan society, and a major contributor to the disunity that is felt here too strongly.
Economic empowerment is shaped by gainful employment and the feeling of plenitude after an honest day's work. That is why Kenyatta administration programmes that invest in the manufacturing industry are a great solution to our economic woes.
Increasing our exports, both to neighboring countries and global trade partners further afield, are an all-around win. In November, the government committed to the construction of 35 new industrial parks.
With the combination of new population growth and old problems of income inequality and low economic growth due to disunity, there is no better time than now to invest and plan out infrastructure that will last well into the future.
