West is full of lies; China never tinkers with currency

West is full of lies; China never tinkers with currency

There seems to be uncalled for mischief fomented by people who seem to be working towards disrupting the otherwise increasingly cordial Kenya-China relationship.  In a rather curious piece titled: “Is Kenya a victim of alleged China currency manipulation games?” published in The Standard on July 23, the writer suggests that China is manipulating its currency and taking advantage of Kenya.

Monetary matters are dependent on global factors that cannot possibly be localised to two countries. In fact, to suggest that China can manipulate its currency to take advantage of Kenya is not only a figment of the imagination but a poor attempt to sow seeds of discord in an arena that is goes beyond the dynamics of the Kenya-China relationship.

The motive behind this kind of misrepresentation, it may seem, is purely political. Kenya, as the case is with other world economies, is a mere bystander in duels instigated by the rivalry between the world’s two biggest economies.

 Bringing such global politics to bear upon the relationship between Kenya and China is disruptive and completely unnecessary.

As far as I know, China has been working hard to bridge the trade deficit between it and Kenya. It is upon Kenyans to invoke their creativity in order to find ways of expanding their scope of exports to China. Instead of wailing while doing little to cover up the yawning gap, Kenyans ought to be active in evolving practical solutions.

China, no doubt, is a huge economy compared to the African states she cooperates with. Besides, China, unlike Africa, is a producer while Africa has remained a market of consumers of goods that countries like China manufacture. The consumer-cum-market mentality of the African is to blame for most of the trade imbalances suffered by most of her trade partners, Kenya included.

It is outright wrong to poison trade cooperation, which is one of the cornerstones of Sino-Kenya relations.

Already China, in efforts to balance trade, has removed tariff barriers and extended tariff exemption initiatives to Kenya in order to encourage more Kenyan exports to enter the Chinese market. Over and above this, China is setting up industries in Kenya to create employment and transfer critical skills to Kenyans.

It was particularly thoughtful for China’s State TV — CCTV — to produce and broadcast programmes aimed at publicising Kenya’s wildlife at no cost to Kenya at all. This move has attracted Chinese tourists in their thousands to visit Kenya, a move that has boosted our tourism.

The issue of currency manipulation is Washington’s political rhetoric used from time to time by politicians during campaigns. For the record, defeated US presidential candidate Mitt Romney during the last election said he would have branded China a currency manipulator on his first day in office. Branding China a “currency manipulator” is a popular extension of this American propaganda. It is also noteworthy that no US administration has ever summoned the guts to officially declare China a “currency manipulator”.

{Salma Mohamed, Malindi}

KenGen not party to Narasha evictions

The last few days have seen the nation’s attention attracted to eviction of residents of Narasha. The incident has evoked strong sympathy and commentary both in private discussions and in the media.

Unfortunately, as sometimes happens with highly emotive discussions, facts get mixed up and often twisted. This has been so in this case, with some associating the evictions with KenGen. The leading power generator has been blamed by some for carrying out the evictions. Some have even suggested that the evictions were to pave way for the Olkaria 280MW project.

As a responsible company, KenGen expresses its sympathy for the victims. The company further finds it imperative to state the facts regarding the matter. KenGen was not involved at all in the said evictions. Indeed, the land in dispute is not owned by KenGen but by a land-buying company. The issue has been in and out of courts for some time and as court proceedings will attest, KenGen has never been party to the matter.

In fact, KenGen has already acquired the land it needs for Olkaria 280MW and the land is not in any way related to the land in dispute. The project is based in the area referred to as the domes area and the land adjacent to our existing Olkaria 1 Power Plant and not in the contested Narasha.

As a responsible corporate, KenGen’s actions are governed by international standards with regards to resettlement of Project Affected Persons in the event it needs to do so to facilitate any of its projects. The utility’s record in this matter speaks for itself.

{Kaara Wainaina, KenGen, Nairobi}

Kenyatta was also a generous giver

The CEO of Equity Bank Dr James Mwangi has a “finger for money”, as we say in my language. It means that he has the Midas touch. Whatever his endeavours, they flourish. In addition to his business acumen, he is also a philanthropist of repute. He recently gave Meru University of Science and Technology, where he is Chancellor, Sh100 million from his personal bank account.

The Standard’s columnist Dominic Odipo recently wrote on the donation which became the talk of town, in many towns. Mr Odipo knows very well that the late President Jomo Kenyatta guarded his assets. He did not donate frequently.

Mr Odipo said Kenyatta would have been uncomfortable were he asked to donate to a university where he was the chancellor. Whatever we may feel about his benevolence or lack thereof, it should be remembered that he donated 200 acres of land to the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. Let Odipo convert that into Kenya shillings.

{Githuku Mungai, Nairobi}

We can’t afford another strike

The education sector is gradually degenerating into a crisis. The teachers in primary and secondary schools will certainly go on strike if TSC makes good its threat to withhold their pay for the 23 days they were on strike. The university lecturers have threatened to take the same direction come next week. This is not good for the government or the country’s education sector.

The manner in which Prof Jacob  Kaimenyi handled the just-ended strike and the matter of their July salaries was totally wanting and unbelievable. Allowing another strike by  withholding teachers’ salaries and dishonouring the university lecturers’ pay deal is unfortunate. The education sector cannot afford another strike.                       

{Christopher Mutisya, Nairobi}

There’s nothing to jubilate about

Kenyans are going through a difficult time economically. Meanwhile, the Jubilee government is busy planning to spend Sh2.5 billion on Kenya’s 50th anniversary of independence. That is a colossal amount of cash, especially at a time when we have strikes and threats of more strikes.

What will we be celebrating? Independence Jubilee or the Jubilee government? Why waste such an amount of money on a one-week event while Kenyans are suffering?

{Justin N Nkaranga, Mombasa}