SCORECARD
Kenya ’ s Mid-Year Review
By Walter Nyabundi
As I write this , Kenya is days away from holding its general election . Assuming there will not be a presidential run-off or contested vote , the country will witness its fourth transfer of power from one president to another in a few weeks . As the campaigns hit the homestretch and the candidates make their final submissions to the electorate , let us take stock of where the country is .
# 1 : Covid-19
Thus far , just under 10 million Kenyans have been fully vaccinated against the virus . This is impressive but vigilance remains key .
# 2 : Mental Health
On June 21st , President Uhuru Kenyatta signed the Mental Health Bill into law . All persons with mental illness now have the right to access medical insurance for their treatment from public or private health providers .
# 3 : The High Cost of Living
The price of basic goods has shot through the roof . Many Kenyans are struggling to put food on the table . Though there have been some legislative and administrative attempts to arrest the runaway cost of living , they do not appear to have gone far enough . The next Government has its work cut out .
# 4 : Drought and Food Insecurity
As expected , the March to May long rains failed . The October to December short rains will probably fail as well . It is time for policymakers to wean the country off rain-fed agriculture . Widespread poverty and inequality are negatively impacting the country ’ s agricultural sector . With almost half the country being food insecure , it is evident that this current model of agricultural development is not sustainable .
# 5 : Violent Crime and Insecurity
Inter-ethnic conflict remains a concern , especially with heightened political activity . However , the security forces appear to be up to the challenge . Of greater concern though is the alarming rise of criminal gangs in different parts of the country and the increasing number of homicides ,
“
It is time for policymakers to wean the country off rain-fed agriculture . Widespread poverty and inequality are negatively impacting the country ’ s agricultural sector . With almost half the country being food insecure , it is evident that this current model of agricultural development is not sustainable . particularly of young men and women .
# 6 : Political Instability
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission ( IEBC ) needs to deliver a credible election on August 9th . Anything less could irreparably fracture the country . It is critical that all other players in the electoral process from the security agencies , to the courts , to the political parties and the citizenry play their part in ensuring the polls are successful .
# 7 : Regional Politics
Kenya ’ s stature as a regional power has grown immeasurably , due in no small part to President Kenyatta ’ s efforts . His mediation efforts especially have stood out . Nonetheless , several places in East and Central Africa remain politically and socially volatile . However , regional integration continues apace . The East African Community ( EAC ) recently formalized the Democratic Republic of Congo ’ s admission as its seventh member . Interestingly , Somalia has also applied for entry into the group . We will be waiting eagerly to see how that pans out .
All said and done , 2022 thus far has been extremely challenging for many of us . The internal and external shocks battering the economy are unprecedented . It often feels as if our very social fabric is unraveling . However , hope springs eternal . It is a certainty that there will be more twists and turns as the year progresses . How we choose to navigate them both individually and collectively , will make the difference .
Walter Nyabundi is a Social Researcher . You can commune with him on this or related issues via email at : Nyabundiw @ gmail . com .
14 MAL49 / 22 ISSUE