Fighting corruption can transport Kenya from 'Singapoor' to Singapore

Singapore's Marina Bay Sands Hotel at dusk.[iStockphoto]

With a high degree of confidence, a safe assumption can be made that, of any part of the world, the word 'Singapore' currently receives the highest mentions in Kenya. The Singapore reference is arguably higher in Kenya than in any other part of the globe, including Singapore itself. What started as a quest by President William Ruto to shape the country's political-economy narrative has attained epic heights, acquiring a life of its own. It is now a norm that virtually every aspect of the country's life is viewed through the Singapore lens.

The Singapore analogy has been picked both by its proponents and advocates, as well as by sceptics and critics. Its chief proponent, the President himself, has repeatedly voiced how not only does he desire Kenya to be like Singapore, but also how he is setting about achieving the dream. His supporters have religiously taken the cue. For instance, last week, while debating the National Infrastructure Fund Bill, the Leader of the Majority in the National Assembly, Kimani Ichung'wah, made sure to include Singapore in his list of comparisons. He likened Kenya's proposed fund to Singapore's Temasek.