Spiralling prices, corruption and a mammoth debt mountain : whoever takes the helm after Kenya's presidential election will face a raft of challenges.
Cost of Living Crisis
Demonstrators took to the streets in July, vowing to shun the ballot box in the face of ever-higher fuel and food costs. Inflation soared, hitting a five-year high of 8.3% in July.
The government, in May, had raised the minimum wage by 12% and last month pledged to halve the price of maize flour used to prepare ugali, Kenya's staple food.
From 7.5% in 2021, growth should average 5.2% in 2023 - 2024, according to the World Bank, which also forecasts deterioration in Kenya's trade balance this year.
Youth Time Bomb
With three quarters of the population under the age of 34, young people are one of Kenya's key assets but many struggle to find jobs.
About 500,000 students obtain a higher education diploma every year. But corruption, nepotism or the demand for experience are all obstacles to their entry into working life.
According to census figures published in 2020, five million young people were without jobs.
Corruption
Kenya's fight against graft has stagnated, says Transparency International, which ranked it 128th out of 180 in its 2021 corruption perceptions index.
Last year, outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta said at least $16.8 million was stolen each day from the government.
Last month, a candidate for deputy president was ordered to forfeit the equivalent of $1.7 million after he could not explain the source of the money.
Debt Mountain
By 2050, half of Kenya's population will live in cities, which will lead to a myriad of challenges such as education and healthcare.
To promote development, successive governments have pursued an ambitious program dubbed Kenya Vision 2030.
As a result, the debt has more than quadrupled to about $70 billion during Uhuru Kenyatta's near decade in office.
China is now second largest creditor, notably lending $5 billion for a railway linking Nairobi to the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa.
Courtesy. The NIE.
My take
I find the same culprits - China's investments on its own terms and conditions without caring a damn about the host country's economic health and an ambitious ruling elite, who do not care a damn about the welfare and well being of their own people but are busy in lining up their own pockets - in action. Hope the new President is able to steer the country to safety by the combined use of tough measures coupled with imaginative methods to revive the economy.
Tailpiece.
Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by 10.
Went to town to clear a lot of pending work. Meanwhile the new maid, Latha, was in action.
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