Jubilee attaches little value to key sectors

With professed 7,000 kilometres of upgraded roads under Jubilee's development belt, President Uhuru Kenyatta still had to apologise to Nakuru residents for a torturous, pot-holed four-kilometre stretch of bad road between Salgaa and Rongai trading centres last week.

The excitement over the SGR, in my view, was premature. Granted, the concept was superb. The execution was excellent. Doubt lies in whether Jubilee can sustain the dream. How well has Kenya Airways been performing since 2013? How efficient has Kenya Railways been under Jubilee? How efficient and reliable are ferry services in Mombasa? These three are the yardsticks with which to gauge Jubilee's success with the SGR. Already, there is political interference. A populist executive directive that not more than Sh700 be charged for third-class travel, down from the costed Sh900, is the first step towards under-performing.