For Kenya to prosper, we must fix our politics

While elections invoke hope for a better future, they depress economic growth in Kenya. A report commissioned by International Monetary Fund dubbed ‘World Uncertainty Index’ (WUI) released on Tuesday this week showed Kenya was the second most uncertain investment destination globally in 2017.

That year, Kenya held presidential elections twice amid heightened political temperatures that eroded investor confidence and slowed down economic performance, especially after most of the investors either chose to scale down, closed shop or relocated to neighbouring countries in fear of possible outbreak of violence. Those fears were not entirely unfounded; our tendency to violence after disputed elections have sullied the country’s reputation.