How rich is Kenya, really?

By: Kap Kirwok
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[ Posted On: 2008-07-21 ]

Very rich, according to a section of the Kenyan elite. At the height of the Anglo Leasing and Goldenberg corruption scandals, it was not unusual to hear some big shot make statements such as: "Kenya is a big and rich country. Years of economic robbery have not stopped it from continuing to function and produce."

And therein lies the problem. The illusion of national riches is used as the pretext to plunder the economy.

According to these people, it is okay to splash and binge away without a care as long the 'cow' continues to produce milk, never mind that the 'cow' is emaciated and barely on its feet!

It is the same argument that a famous kleptocrat by the colourful names of Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga used to bleed his country dry. Mobutu boasted that a president of a country as big and as rich as Zaire deserved to indulge in befitting pomp and splurge. We know how this delusion ended. By the time he died 11 years ago, Zaire lay in utter ruins. Not even the wealth of the country — which he mistook to be his — could save him from a humiliating exit and eventual death. If there was a dictionary of corrupt dictatorships, Mobutu's only bequest to the world would be an entry under the word kleptocrat. Here, his name would be listed as a synonym.

And so, I ask again, how rich is Kenya, really? It is a pertinent question especially now as we await the yearly ritual called the Budget Speech. Let us attempt and answer — with a comparative sense of perspective.

A common measure of the size of a country's economy is the so-called Gross Domestic Product. It is the value of all final goods and services produced in a country in one year. Using the online CIA World Fact Book as our source of statistics for last year, we compare Kenya with three rich countries.

In size, Germany is smaller than Kenya's Eastern Province but its estimated GDP for last year was $3.259 trillion. That is roughly 112 times greater than Kenya's GDP. Even with a population two and half times that of Kenya, we can agree that Germany is truly a rich country.

The desert country of the United Arab Emirates has a population ten times smaller than Kenya. In area, it is exactly the size of Coast Province and yet its economy is six and half times bigger.

Israel, another desert country with even fewer resources, is only slightly larger than Nyanza Province, but its economy is four and half times bigger than ours.

In all these countries, pay and perks for top public and private sector officials is equal or less than those of their Kenyan counterparts. Surprised?

In the US State of Arkansas, the Governor earns a salary of U$80,000 per annum, or about Sh400,000 a month. He has two official vehicles. His use of the official helicopter is restricted to urgent and emergency situations only. He often drives himself on weekends and will be seen picking his own groceries at the local grocery. Arkansas, with the same population as Nairobi City, has an economy five times that of Kenya.

The governor of the US State of Maine earns even less — Sh350,000 per month. The governor's pay has not been raised in 20 years! And yet Maine, whose population is the same as that of Lang'ata Constituency, has an economy twice that of Kenya.

And yet the illusion persists among our eating chiefs that Kenya is rich. They reward themselves as if Kenya overflows with riches. They insist on the same or better material trappings as their counterparts in rich countries.

Now picture the following situation: A top government official is the chief guest at the launch of a government project. A foreign country whose ambassador is represented at the launch has funded the project. The top government official arrives at the site of the launch in a convoy of more than 15 top-of-the line vehicles, including the mandatory Mercedes-Benz, all chauffer-driven. The ambassador arrives in a simple Toyota Corolla. He has carpooled with his Trade Officer who has offered to drive the Ambassador because the official driver is off-duty. With no hint of shame, the top government official in his speech proceeds to plead with the ambassador for more project funds.

When a former ambassador accused some in our government of eating "like gluttons" and vomiting "over all our shoes", one minister accused him of abusing our pride and sovereignty and declared him persona non grata.

Pride and sovereignty? Do we have any left?

Article Source: http://www.afroarticles.com/article-dashboard

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