Let’s focus on issues that help Kenyans

Nairobi, Kenya: It is true the Government of President Uhuru Kenyatta has a full plate in regard to ensuring the safety of Kenyans and their property. It is also true the burden of life in regard to the cost of living is getting heavier for individual Kenyans, households and even the corporate sector. Truth be told, institutional corruption is threatening to throw this country down the cliff. In fact, the President himself went on record when he blew the whistle on rent-seeking in his own office. Looked at in its totality, the picture is ugly.

But all is not lost. There is work to be done but also sufficient reason to be optimistic. The country has successfully floated a Eurobond in the US and Europe. The response from investors in the money markets of the First World was overwhelming. Government mandarins from the Treasury, led by no less than the Cabinet Secretary, camped on the streets in the West to hawk the bond. They were targeting US$2 billion (Sh174 billion) but the market responded with a whooping US$8 billion (Sh606 billion).

That gesture speaks volumes about the confidence investors have in the strength of the national economy and ability of Government to wisely and profitably invest the proceeds from the bond.

And even as the investors were wiring money into the relevant Government account, Nairobi, the global environment capital, was sprucing up in readiness to host the world for the United Nations Environmental Assembly at UNEP headquarters in Gigiri.

A total of 112 Environment ministers from across the world attended the Nairobi meeting, which brought together 160 delegations. In all 1,200 guests, among them the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Prince Albert of Monaco and Iranian Vice President participated.

This by any standard was a major global event and vote of confidence in the country's capacity to host and secure such a high level delegation.

The Eurobond and UNEA success stories must get Kenyans thinking. These are the kinds of achievements a lot of countries would envy. Unfortunately, instead of Kenyan leaders taking advantage of these achievements and building on them to propel the country forward, they are busy tearing each other apart for selfish political gain.

Nobody can deny the fact that the things that should unite us as a nation are more than the few differences that divide us. But instead of focusing on our strengths as a nation to confront our weaknesses, we give more attention to our points of departure and continue missing opportunities to take our country to the league of newly industrialised nations.

It is amazing that foreigners are giving Kenya a clean bill of health and putting their money in our economy, yet our leaders are retreating to their respective tribal enclaves to seek relevance in national politics.

Our position is that Kenya is bigger than any individual and the collective prosperity of this nation is more desirable than individual gains. It is the desire of every ordinary Kenyan that leaders would put the country first.

And for those charged with the responsibility of investing the billions from the Eurobond, it must be made  clear that this is a debt to be repaid by Kenyans. Therefore, the money must be directed to projects that return long term and sustainable value.

We should not go the way of other African nations who floated Eurobonds and then their leaders went for consumerism at the expense of development. Binging down the cost of electricity will go a long way in reducing the cost of doing business and ultimately reducing the cost of consumer goods and services. Investing in food security is the basis of a healthy nation and a precondition for economic growth.

It would be disappointing if funds from the Eurobond are used for purchase of vehicles or payment of allowances to Government officials attending routine workshops.