Opinion: Jubilee manifesto holds promise for Kenyans

President Uhuru Kenyatta photo:courtesy

The Jubilee manifesto is refreshingly short of populist slogans. Economists get frustrated at politicians who tend to focus on short-term sound bites, as opposed to real strategic policy. 

The Jubilee government is rightly proud to have created approximately 800,000 jobs per year. Recruiting thousands of teachers, setting up technical vocational training, and installing digital learning programmes has already demonstrated a commitment to developing a skilled work force. The promise of free secondary education, loans for university students, and aligning the needs of industry with curricula and polytechnics will strengthen this further.

The Jubilee government has been far from perfect, but in terms of jobs, they have come up with the goods. There are some unique examples, such as the Kenya Leather Park in Machakos for over 7,000 Small and Medium Enterprises – A truly amazing place.

Similar initiatives such as the Leather Cluster Common Manufacturing Facility in Kariokor and the Athi River Textile City Industrial Sheds will create employment opportunities for 22,000 Kenyan Women and Youth.

JOB CREATION

The Jubilee manifesto focuses on how to integrate the many underutilised younger members of society. While in the last four years, the Youth Enterprise Development Fund disbursed Sh11.8 billion to nearly a million young people.

The creation of a Youth Development Council will provide training and mentoring, which, combined with the online Ajira platform, will help provide opportunities to millions of young Kenyans. Crucially, so too will encouraging private sector businesses to take on interns by expanding the tax incentive framework. It is both a sensible and cost-effective way to provide crucial business experience to our young.

The Young Professionals Management Programme and the establishment of the Biashara bank will further buttress job creation. From agriculture to industry, from the Silicon Savannah to the Blue Economy, this manifesto is full of creative jobs solutions, and should be welcomed as such. More jobs, means more money in Kenyan pockets.
More money in your pockets, however, is no use if assets are unaffordable.

This is why my colleagues and I have been so impressed with some of Jubilee's flagship schemes, most notably the plan for half a million new affordable homes. The government has spent the last four years investing in massive infrastructure projects including sewage.

 They have been laying the very foundations upon which these new houses can be built. Alternative funding strategies, via the National Social Housing Development Fund will also help turn home ownership from a dream, into a reality.

PROPERTY OWNERSHIP

However, let us not fool ourselves. For the most vulnerable members of society, home ownership will remain a challenge. This is why it is so important that the Jubilee manifesto was crafted for all Kenyans. We strongly believe that through sensible and sustainable macro-economic policies, Kenya can become a better place for every member of society. Kenya has experienced astronomical growth in foreign investment under Jubilee and is already ranked as the second most attractive Investment destination in Africa. The shilling – all the while – has remained stable against major world currencies, and interest rates have stabilized.

All of this will trickle down to every level of Kenyan society, if not immediately. Kenya is ranked by the World Bank as the 3rd most improved country for doing business. Over 200 large international companies have opened offices in Kenya, with scores more looking at options daily. Small businesses are benefiting too, thanks to Sh25 billion invested in the Youth, Uwezo and Women enterprise funds – providing support for close to 15 million people in their business endeavours.

And with promises to further reduce and eliminate wastage of public resources to the tune of Sh1trillion over five years, economic change will eventually be felt by all.

Most importantly, the long-term cost of living for Mwananchi will be significantly reduced by stabilising the cost of food, energy and transport, a direct result of macro-economic success. The Jubilee manifesto, therefore, manages to stay away from short-term populism while also planning to increase food availability and reduce costs. This will not be easy, but the measures outlined are promising.

They include increasing storage and limiting post-harvest losses, improving productivity with advanced irrigation of at least 1 million acres, subsidising seeds and fertilisers and expanding the Strategic Food Reserve programme. If all the parts of the puzzle can be put together, a real change can take place. With state-of-the-art roads and railway, unprecedented progress in the provision of electricity, affordable healthcare and a new low-cost housing programme, this sensible and sustainable manifesto will bring true long-term low-cost living to the people of Kenya.