Shipyard Cranes, Norfolk.
Photo credit: shoebappa / Foter.com / CC BY-NC
“The good news? U.S. President Barack Obama is making his second trip to Africa, the continent of his father’s birth. The ummm… ‘other’ news? He’s not coming to Kenya. What’s that? Yes, other news. Not bad news thanks, we’re Kenyans. We don’t really care whether he comes here or not (sniff). We don’t need the West. We have other trading partners… like China. And have you already forgotten what we did to Botswana? Leave us alone with our Uhurus and our Rutos, Kenyans know what’s best for Kenya…”
The paragraph above summarizes Kenyans’ reaction to the news that Air Force One will not be touching down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport during President Obama’s upcoming trip to Africa. The President’s trip is scheduled for June 26th 2013 to July 3rd 2013 and will take in Senegal, Tanzania and South Africa. Undoubtedly, Obama’s avoidance of his father’s land is a snub – the second such snub if we count his trip to Ghana in 2009. What seems to rankle most is that Obama felt it wise to accord our neighbours to the South, Tanzania, a State visit. Why would he do this? If we dig a little deeper, we can start to understand (in particular) why Tanzania.
It may surprise most Kenyans to know that foreign direct investment inflows (FDI inflows) to Tanzania and Uganda have exceeded FDIs coming in to Kenya for most of the last decade. The table below shows FDI inflows to the three countries from 2001-2010 (figures in USD):
| Year | Kenya | Tanzania | Uganda |
| 2001 | 5,302,623 | 388,800,000 | 151,496,100 |
| 2002 | 20,202,580 | 396,244,800 | 184,648,100 |
| 2003 | 79,662,930 | 364,258,900 | 202,192,600 |
| 2004 | 41,647,830 | 226,732,400 | 295,416,500 |
| 2005 | 11,524,460 | 935,520,600 | 379,808,400 |
| 2006 | 26,717,030 | 403,039,000 | 644,262,500 |
| 2007 | 693,011,400 | 581,511,800 | 792,305,800 |
| 2008 | 51,819,060 | 400,047,200 | 728,860,900 |
| 2009 | 70,269,790 | 414,544,600 | 788,694,300 |
| 2010 | 184,215,300 | 433,441,900 | 817,178,700 |
| Total | 1,184,373,003 | 4,544,141,200 | 4,984,863,900 |
Source: http://www.indexmundi.com
This table is a sobering read. It shows that Tanzania and Uganda have both attracted about 4 times the foreign investment that Kenya did during the 2000s. In other words, because of Tanzania’s natural gas, Uganda’s oil, and both nations’ relative stability, for every 1 million dollars foreign investors have invested in Kenya, the same investors have invested another 8 million dollars in Uganda and Tanzania, shared roughly equally. Although the fact that Kenya has now discovered oil deposits may change the broad outlook of this table over the course of the current decade, there is still cause for concern about these figures. And if we do have oil, shouldn’t that be enough to make the US/China fall over themselves to visit us?
The second point is this: remember the Chinese we said we’d trade with instead of the West? Well, China’s (new) President Xi recently went on a state visit that took in Russia, the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), and South Africa. Oh, and Tanzania. Yes, China’s (new) President Xi also visited Tanzania recently. While it is true that socialist Tanzania has a long history of ties with China, it is still instructive that President Xi paid Dar-es-Salaam a visit; President Obama actually appears to be playing catch-up to the Chinese in this regard.
Thirdly, those selfsame Chinese recently pledged to help build a port at Bagamoyo, northwest of Dar, that’ll make Mombasa look like a small puddle. This week’s article in the East African on the matter states that the Bagamoyo port is set to cost USD 11 billion (nearly one trillion shillings). In tandem with this, Tanzania is revamping her rail network as well. If we are not careful, we ourselves will be importing and exporting via Tanzania before long.
The nation of Kenya has lost crown after crown economically speaking. We were on a par with Singapore and South Korea at independence. We’ve let them go. Fifty years later, our last remaining crown is “East Africa’s largest economy”. What are we doing to retain this status? Not much, it would seem. Here we are playing tribal games and thumbing our noses at the world by electing questionable “watu wetu“, and yet it is merely a matter of time before we lose our final claim to fame: that of “economic capital of East Africa”. Already Rwandan importers are saying that it takes them 3 days to import via Dar es Salaam, and 7 days to import via Mombasa. In all likelihood, our kids may study Economics knowing East Africa’s largest economy to be Tanzania.
President Obama’s snub should be waking us up to these realities. But much as we did during the Botswana incident, and instead of asking ourselves why the Presidents of the world’s two largest economies are queueing up to visit our southern neighbours (a nation we have grown up labelling an “economic backwater”), we’re busy saying “Kwani Obama ni nani? (Who is Obama anyway?)”. I urge us to realize that this is bigger than Uhuru. This is bigger than Ruto. This is bigger than Kogelo and Mama Sarah and serkal. It’s not a joke folks, this is about our land, our nation, and where we all are headed.
God bless Kenya.
Chrenyan 
Jose
May 22, 2013 at 12:12 pm
Very well written, and very sobering. I cannot disagree with you; soon if we’re not careful we will be customers of the port of Bagamoyo. My prayer is that we would get down to the business of making our nation competitive. And not just basking in our collective sense of self-importance while the nations around us are shaping themselves for the future.
Chelimo Mibei
May 22, 2013 at 12:50 pm
Really interesting and an eye opener. Sometimes we can get quite narrow in our thinking and think it is all about Obama and his ‘cousin’ RAO. I was looking at the world bank’s table of growing economies and Kenya did not feature in the top 30 but nations like TZ, Nigeria, Congo, and pretty much all the ones Ruto just visited were there. We can only hope he was out to learn something and to foster trading relationships so we do not get lost.
So how did we lose it, we spent the last ten years ‘praising’ Kibaki as this great economist, not so much for his achievements but just to rubbish Moi, at least our media did. I seriously hope we will not be this nation of ‘we could have been…’
As for Obama, does he really congress grilling him about his canoodling with ‘criminals’ as the House of Commons did with Cameron? Those are battles they do not need to be fighting unless they have to which brings us to the our election consequences. How can we increase our tourist quota when Obama is likening Kenya to Syria? We can thump our chests all we want about ‘who needs Obama’ but one statement form him like that, and it is a hundred steps back for us. Why would a tourist want to come to Maasai Mara when the same lion can be seen in Tanzania or even in South Africa?
Our nation is so corrupt even the Kenyan diaspora is weary of investing in it. The law only seems to want to deal with the small people as they stand helpless when the big cases come their way. MRC, Tana killings, Baringo and the recent Bungoma conflicts point to a country on a knife’s edge. many of us are more interested in scoring tribal points than in guarding our nationhood.
Yet I choose to believe that all is not lost. After the 4th of March I chose to suspend any misgivings I had towards UhuRuto and allow them a chance to prove me wrong. We can only build from here. If they succeed, we all succeed. They began their reign of Kenya on their knees before Almighty God and before the whole world, Surely that has got to mean something, surely that has to count before God.
Question though about the Foreign Direct Inflows, if that includes aid, then it is a compliment to Kenya.
mika
May 22, 2013 at 3:18 pm
#well-said
surely, they started their term on their knees…. that must count.
wayhome
May 24, 2013 at 4:29 pm
this is a good sober response to a sober article
jtascensao
May 22, 2013 at 1:17 pm
Great article. It’s very well understood that Obama leads a nation who pays solidarity to no one; the only way to gain their attention is to become economically or politically relevant.
Regarding the big picture, this visit can be pointless. Obama did neglect Africa for too much time and that will prove to be costly, mostly because of the role China has assumed as a driver for economic growth in the region.
Eric O.
May 22, 2013 at 1:52 pm
I believe most of the FDIs in Uganda and Tanzania is from Kenya……but you are quite right when you say that if we doze our position will be threatened.
Ndauti
May 22, 2013 at 3:04 pm
Based on the above, I think we need to increase our Kiswahili offering in local universities. I for one will be making heavy use of these facilities.
kanyua
May 22, 2013 at 4:23 pm
Interesting piece there Marete. It would also be interesting to look at strengths of the economies of the 3 East African States.
MMK
May 22, 2013 at 6:05 pm
It took Obama’s snub to remind Kenyans that we are ruled by 2 ICC indictees, as in suspected war criminals facing trial. We seem to have forgotten. Who wants to visit or to be seen near suspected war criminals?
I laugh at Jubilee die hard fans when they claim that we don’t need the West, yet they drive German-made cars, use iPhones and Nokias, access Facebook on HPs and Dells. And by the way, they also claim that Chinese made products are inferior … hmmm
Paul
May 29, 2013 at 1:54 pm
MMK, the people of Kenya who voted Jubilee in did it knowing the ICC situation, and I dont believe Obama’s snub has changed that “consciousness”. In fact, the US had alluded to “choices having consequences”, which in many ways pushed people even farther towards Jubilee. Let us not mix issues. It may be that the Obama administration gave us, unwittingly or otherwise, the Jubilee government. By seeming to send an imperialistic message. They should have known better.
And as to “needing” the West so that folks can continue driving Mercedes Benz and using iPhones and Nokias, I think the conversation here is more about geo-politics than personal consumption choices. You might find that these German cars, American and Swedish hi-tech gadgets are actually “bought” with hard-earned cash and the question of “needing” the manufacturer should not arise.
An Obama that compares Kenya with Syria (where hundreds of thousands of folks have died from war crimes and nobody mentions ICC) is an Obama we need to be very wary about. Just as well that he is not coming here. Syrians need him more, if he will agree to bring the Butcher of Damascus to heel. Its another Rwanda out there!!
On a different note, the question of FDIs is interwoven with many dynamics. If we keep suffering power blackouts under Kenya Power even as they keep increasing the cost of electricity, there will be little FDI, irrespective of the number of world leaders that come calling – and I cant for the life of me see what they would be coming to do in a place where its so difficult to do business.
So, let us put our economic fundamentals in order.
The money will follow.
fredokono
May 22, 2013 at 6:25 pm
Reblogged this on FredOkono and commented:
Insightful as always!
fredokono
May 22, 2013 at 6:34 pm
A succinctly truthful piece! Brilliant as always Brother Sam, but are our people listening?
Sam Kebongo
May 29, 2013 at 10:31 am
Okono we are listening: the analysis is good, but it is incomplete and not so current,
FDI’s whilst important, are not the mainstay of economic growth…the article is based on the common misconception that ‘development is imported’. Local and regional trade are the mainstay of economic growth. This is why Kenya’s economy is bigger than that of the rest of EAC (Tanzania included), that is why we survived Moi.
We have, also through, devolution, created economies with the economy in the counties…Machakos County is a good example. Our largest trading partners are our neighbors Uganda and Tanzania, India and China. so from an economic perception..Obama’s visit is not so significant. as pointed out elsewhere…some of the the FDI’s to Tanzania and Uganda might be Kenyan.
Tanzania’s has been doing some impressive work in the infrastructural and regional trade front. But at the same time, Kikwete has just antagonized Rwanda twice in the last month; one by sending troops to Congo to fight M23 rebels and 2 by ‘advising’ Rwanda to negotiate with geneocidaires (FDLR). These two are very sensitive issues in Rwanda as they touch on its very survival. So this new port, with this kind of politics, where will it export to? Besides Kibaki put together LAPSSET which is a more inspired as it will be supporting a market of almost 100 million. (S.Sudan and Ethiopia).
If we keep our focus we should be fine. Do we need the West, sure….but we need our neighbours more!
fredokono
May 29, 2013 at 6:54 pm
Sam,
Your analysis is by and large correct. BUT on some issues I disagree with you.
Our neighbours lag behind us in economic terms for historical reasons – Tanzania and Ethiopia experimented with the very pernicious socialism; Uganda, Sudan and Somalia decades of upheaval. These nations are now growing their economies much faster than we are – and Ethiopia’s economy is in fact already the biggest in the region.
FDI is VERY important for economic growth and development. Whereas we can generate a lot more local investment capital than we are currently, our economy is not yet at the critical point where it can self-ignite and sustain forward momentum without significant external infusions to catalyse it.
As for our neighbours being our largest trading partners, that is indeed a very good thing – but let us also bear in mind that a lot of that trade is ‘retail’, in the sense that we are conveying goods to them that we have ourselves imported; or in some cases goods manufactured by multinational concerns that operate in Kenya and repatriate most their profits. And that FDI going into Uganda and Tanzania from Kenya, I feel it is an indicator of a national malaise that we need to address – what opportunities or advantages are these two countries offering that we are not providing to our domestic investors right here at home?
As for Tanzania’s investment in a new port to challenge Mombasa, Rwanda (which you cite) would be the smallest of the possible users. The ‘monster’ users would be Zambia and DRC. Of course LAPSSET is likely to be a much bigger and more lucrative project – given the mega Ethiopian economy and the great potential of South Sudan. My layman’s rating is that Mombasa is likely to be relegated to a distant third behind these two, unless something drastic is done to improve efficiency and economy.
I agree with you that the counties are a great idea – but I think it is an idea that has probably been a little over-hyped. In time, they will pay-off – but in the short to medium term, they will be a drain! In any case, contiguous counties may not have much to trade with between themselves – given that they are likely to be producing the same core products and facing the same challenges!
As with the counties, two countries that are basically both economies built on ‘extractive processes’ (agriculture, mining, etc) would have very little to trade between themselves – trade only thrives where the partners have certain unique advantages that enable them to produce goods and services that the other does not. This only exists to a limited extent between us and our neighbours – with the advantage to Kenya because of its nascent industrial base, more advanced human resource, better service sector, and a relatively favourable political and economic history. But these are advantages that our neighbours are gradually erasing – and we must up our game to stay ahead. Note – China’s most valuable trade is not with her neighbours, it is in fact with the West and increasingly with Africa.
Finally, the greatest immediate injury from President Obama skipping Kenya in his forthcoming visit is of course to our image and our ego! With his filial connections to us, it is only natural that we should expect ‘special treatment’, and the fact that we are not getting it is hurtful. But of course there are also broader implications, given the power and influence of the US on the world stage – though I absolutely do not subscribe to the extreme position that the US and the West in general will marginalise us: they simply cannot afford to – Realpolitik militates against it. And let us not that Chrenyan’s blog piece is first and foremost an attempt show non-political reasons why President Obama – and indeed other world leaders – would visit our southern neighbour and not us!
Fred
TEAM Mitchener (@houseoffoto)
May 22, 2013 at 6:51 pm
Wake up and smell the coffee Kenya!
Christine
May 22, 2013 at 10:59 pm
I have to say, a few days after the elections, we were very quick to boast about no consequences. Now, assume the charges against the two leaders at the ICC are dropped, the wheels have already been set in motion…..and by – not the west, but the east….to find another hub in East Africa. Because even if the charges for the two are dropped, the world will have already moved on, they are not going to sit around, twiddling their thumbs…..waiting to see how things go. No Government, or business is going to invest in a potentially disruptive zone. The Bagamoyo Port should worry us, it should make us stop and think, and most importantly, especially because it is coming from the China that we were so sure was on our side, it should cut our arrogance down to size and spur us into action! And lastly, economic consequences such as a Port in the neighbourhood when we are very dependent on ours, tend to outlive the generation that caused it in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, a Port in Tanzania or FDI in the neighbourhood is not a bad thing, but it should come because of demand….not out of fear.
A very thought provoking piece Sam!
Gideon
May 23, 2013 at 6:47 pm
Thanks for this insightful article.
Steve
May 24, 2013 at 3:00 am
You couldnt be more than right but why would some one like Mr Obama in his first capain talk more about Beutiful proud Kenya and yet forsake after he won by the way where is Tanzania .not all Kenyans are criminals if they say and who cares
Paul
May 24, 2013 at 12:36 pm
This has been a most thought-provoking article, and its difficult not to feel somewhat ambivalent around some of the issues that come to the fore. One thing is not in doubt though, we need God to bless Kenya.
Now, it is very important to draw a distinction between whether we want Obama to visit Kenya as POTUS, or as the son of Obama Senior. In the former case, the sentiment should have been the same when Clinton failed to visit Kenya and instead went to Uganda – if my memory serves me right, and that had nothing to do with the political decisions Kenyans had recently made. In the latter case, Obama may be born of a Kenyan father, but he is as American as any regular WASP. He is not beholden to us in any way, and we should – at the personal level – stop snivelling if he chooses to visit Outer Mongolia instead of our beloved Kenya.
As to why he will visit Tanzania, and why the Chinese President might also have done the same, anecdotal evidence is that while Tanzania is an immensely rich country in terms of natural resources – African Barrick is probably only second to South African mines in terms of gold production – most of these resources are “given” away to foreigners by the political elite over there.
Make no mistake, no American or Chinese President would make a foreign trip to any country unless such a trip serves some American or Chinese interest or other. If Obama were to be completely honest, he would probably say that the reason he is not visiting Kenya has more to do with what he might get in Tanzania than his “disappointment” with the current administration. He might also say that if he could have turned back the hands to time, the West would have maintained a hands-off approach in Kenyan politics, and left people to their own devices. In the end, the “regime change” and “choices have consequences” and “essential contact” agenda unwittingly pushed folk to doing the exact same thing they were being warned against doing.
Am not surprised that Obama’s visit takes in South Africa and Tanzania together. If the Tanzanians were completely candid, they would prefer to be in SADC rather than EAC. They treat Kenyans shabbily and almost worship South Africans.
While in Tanzania or Uganda, it is difficult to see the fruits of these heavy FDI inflows. The regular folks are just as poor, if not poorer than, regular folk. At least in Kenya we can read and write blogs such as this one without fearing being shut down a la Monitor Newspaper.
And we dont hound Tanzanians after they land at the airport and follow them to their hotels or arrest them for visiting factories without paying a Temporary Assignment Permit at $200 even for a couple of days’ visit.
Here is my take – we have an opportunity to fix our politics by voting in the right leadership devoid of tribal considerations. We have an opportunity to fix corruption at a personal level by refusing to toa kitu kidogo, and by screaming murder whenever we learn of corruption within government or private sector (yes, corruption is rife in the private sector, too). And we have an opportunity to insist on proper and equitable allocation of resources to reduce inequality.
All these opportunities are available to us at a personal level – we just need to exercise them.
If we do, Obama and any future POTUS will be the fool for not fitting us in their globe-trotting itinerary. Or they will recognise us as a truly proud and self-sufficient people, whose resources – however little – are not open to the looting the Western world has visited upon poor nations for centuries.
Just a thought, America’s poodle – the UK – recently invited the Kenyan President to their country, despite their earlier “essential contact” prattle. Why?
The ICC cases are the least pressing of Kenya’s problems. We have poverty, disease, food insecurity, corruption, tribal intolerance, inadequate infrastructure and MPs, to resolve.
If Barrack Obama will not visit Kenya to commiserate with the millions of Kenyans who DID NOT VOTE FOR JUBILEE, who needs him, indeed?
Caleb
May 26, 2013 at 8:35 pm
This is indeed a thought provoking headline. The FDI numbers are quite alarming but like Paul asks; where is the evidence of this? Where is the evidence of all the minerals TZ has? I have been to TZ and I do not get the feeling of opulence that is clearly evident in many parts of Kenya. I mean evidence of 4 billion dollars must be clear to all. I should not be as surprised as I am which tells me somethings not right.
Sigiryet
May 28, 2013 at 3:01 pm
Its a good challenge yes, but I wish you guy can just take a trip to the said “southern neighbor” and just get to see their work ethics. This guys are laid back and they like having things done for them. I can bet even with the direct foreign investment to that country is because Kenyans are competitive and before you set up shop here you already have a competition. Some of the direct foreign investment in TZ are kenyan. We are always a step ahead all our neighbors.
Mike
May 28, 2013 at 4:30 pm
funny..FDI was highest in Kenya in 2007……………on FDI?
Sam Kebongo
May 29, 2013 at 10:00 am
What so funny?..Is it because of PEV? Remember elections were in Dec…after Christmas. the year also recorded the highest growth of 6-7%. A little analysis would have helped there.
Munene Ireri
May 29, 2013 at 12:59 pm
Powerful sentiments there, I can only hope that KENYANS are reading this.
We need to take action on matters concerning our battered motherland. It’s already evident that our “leaders” are only engulfed in matters that concern their financial wellbeing & nothing more!
Anon
May 30, 2013 at 12:51 am
I think pple are being a bit pessimistic here ! Kenyan economic growth outlook is positive and our two east african neigbours are still way behind economically !
Paul
May 31, 2013 at 12:58 pm
Not a suggestion for Kenya to rest on her laurels, but the news just in, as per Business Daily, follows below….
“Kenya has been ranked top among the countries with the highest growth in new investment projects into Africa in the last four years to 2011, ahead of South Africa and Nigeria.
New projects from Kenya and Nigeria into the rest of the continent have grown at a faster rate than from anywhere else in the world during the same period at 77.8 per cent and 73.2 per cent respectively, according to the latest findings by Ernst and Young.
“The growth in intra-African investment is being led by the respective regional powerhouses of Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa,” said the financial advisory firm in its second African Attractiveness Survey”
Lets keep the faith and forge ahead, in our small ways, each of us.
kaduma
June 3, 2013 at 2:38 pm
ha ha ha! very interesting! haya watanzania! tujipange zaidi! wameanza kutuhofia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
elias
June 3, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Ha ha ha ha aaa…”KENYA THE BIGEST INVESTOR IN TANZANIA” The art of seduction!The myth has real worked.Endelea kulala Kenya,Bongo inakuja nadhani tutangea vizuri kuhusu haya 2018.
arehat
June 5, 2013 at 12:15 am
So this is what Kenya has to say about Tanzania that too over obama’s attention. Surprised alittle I am, I understand the analysis of your current economy is much needed and the article geniunely is an eye opener. However, as neighboring countries, shouldn’t there also be more of a uniform outlook rather than a competitive one? Who cares if obama visits tz or ke, his likely after one thing only, how can he gain from Africa.
I visited Kenya recently, and despite the political uphill I recognized and appreciated the economic strength you guys hold… It would do TZ good to take after KE in some instances(and I believe we are making progress, this article being proof :))
The progress of one leads to the progress of other. We share boundaries, We forge allies, … Unfortunately we don’t share fond thoughts?
Regarding the big picture.. I agree with kanyua.. It would also be interesting to look at strengths of the economies of the 3 East African States.
ndabila
June 6, 2013 at 3:03 am
Very interesting topic, despite kenyans laughing at us Tz that we are poor, but they don’t understand that despite kenya iz the leading east africa country, there are many kenyans who die because of hunger. But that never happens in Tz, we are poor but we have enough food and our people are not dying because of hunger like that of kenya. And if u remember Odinga as a kenyan prime ministeronce came to Tz begging food. So i advice kenya to ensure food security in their country intead of boasting that they are leading
Paul
June 17, 2013 at 1:38 pm
Some US Advocate is urging Obama not to visit TZ – Daily Nation 17 June 2013
“The Tanzania case appears to be an instance of business interests trumping human rights,” Mr Milbank wrote in the Washington Post.
“The Chinese president visited the East African country a few months ago, and US businesses are eager to get in on the region’s petroleum supplies and other natural resources before China becomes dominant there.”
Dennis Osiemo
June 25, 2013 at 10:00 pm
Obama his lecture on democracy and freedom of media will not put food on our kenyan table.We gave his grandmum ‘chapatis’ as a present during his inauguratiön but he seems to be thankless.
Paul
June 25, 2013 at 11:21 pm
The conversation around why BO will not visit Kenya has taken a bad turn. On the one hand, he says he will not come on account of the leadership Kenyans elected. On the other hand he invites some Kenyans to meet up with him in Senegal or wherever. Are these not Kenyans? Or does he know for whom they voted? Or for whom they voted not?
Honesty is important. At least if we are to really care whether he comes here or not. A country of 40 million and decisions are made on the basis of the choice of 6 million? Gimme a break!
Aliya
July 2, 2013 at 9:57 am
An interesting read to find that our dear neighbours are worried about Tanzania economic developments. Well, this is worrying me and especially the whole notion of EAC family. If you are not happy of the progress of one of your member state that is real discouraging and I would agree for us to pull out from the community. Where is the EAC identity? I had expected Kenya to support us so as we all develop as a block.
Mdidi
July 4, 2013 at 2:06 pm
When one cries another one laugh, when one sleeps another one is awake, Thats human nature. If a person who once slept realizes that he was mistreated by the one who was awake, and that the later used it as an advantage things would turn bad to both parties or may be more to the later.
When a person struggles to improve life of his family he may need support from his neighbors. It becomes very uncomfortable when a neighbour is jealous of the progress of that family; that a neighbour will no longer be useful but can be dangerous.
We are the East African Countries, we always speak to the non East African nationals that we are one. Why develop hatred among us? We call ourselves that we are brothers and sisters why do we hate the progress of the other? Some one said that Tanzania concentrate more to SADC than EAC, can you prove the truth that TZ is more valuing SADC than EAC? How much has TZ done to make EAC works strongly and effectively? Why cant this be recognized?. It is embarrassing that some leaders are sitting in the meeting as EAC member state while excluding the other. Why should all this be done?
The difference is shown clearly very early, as it happened in 1979 it would happen even today if we do not think of being one and take things in action very smartly
anthony katia
August 25, 2013 at 11:04 am
A sobering read.It is indeed true that Uganda and tz are growing at a much faster rate than kenya.The evidence is in the cities of Dar and Kampala,too many cars(meaning increasing purchasing power),shopping malls,infrastructure etc.I sincerely dont believe in the bigness of Kenya’s economy.I have been a resident of tz for three years and opulence is real.In uganda where i go regulkarly,Kampala is another singapore rising in equitorial forest-shopping malls,car yards,nice highways signs of rejuvenation and national pride with a few articles trade marked,made in uganda.Contrast with kenya?decaying infrastructure,entrenched ethnic boundaries.Its no wonder Busia next to Uganda is an eye sore while on Ugandan side its a different world of future.We are paying for the sins of bad politics championed by Raila et al.Methinks the issue of human righs is hogwash and economic foundation should be strengthened first ala Ethiopia and china.this issue of Haki yetu does not gel with economics.We cant have our cake and eat ate.If we had an authoritarian president albeit benevolent,in the last decade,kenya’s economy would be overheating now.Sad that some sections of Kenyans were busy burning and pillaging the little built or sabotaging economic policies all the time.I was shocked last year to note even Arusha is the size of Nairobi,Moshi is bigger than Nakuru! there is something wrong with Kenya.
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