After selling country abroad, what Uhuru can do to fix Kenya

In his first trip to Europe since he was sworn in for the second term, President Uhuru Kenyatta has had his hands full. From ringing the bell at the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday to delivering an address at Chatham House, this trip is heavy with symbolism.

Mr Kenyatta’s prioritization of trade and investment between Kenya and post-Brexit Britain and his assurance to investors that Kenya is a safe bet will be warmly received by Kenyans eager to get jobs and do business. Besides meeting with Prince William, President Kenyatta held talks with President Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa), President Filipe Nyusi (Mozambique) and President Nana Akufo-Addo (Ghana) and American business magnate Bill Gates.

The President participated in an Africa Leaders Roundtable where he spoke on the benefits of intra-Africa trade and how it can help transform the world’s poorest continent.  Yesterday, he attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting at Buckingham Palace.

His biggest win was another invitation from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to attend the G7 summit in June where he will address the seven men and women leaders of the world's most advanced economies. Last year, President Kenyatta addressed the G7 summit in Sicily, Italy. Since taking office in 2013, Mr Kenyatta has sought to reset Kenya's position in the globe. For far too long, Kenya has punched below its weight despite being a regional powerhouse.

Kenya's economy (worth $63.40 billion in 2015) is the biggest in the East African region, boosted by its liberal market economics, better infrastructure, and a huge well-educated human resource and robust technology.

Mr Kenyatta has recast the image of Kenya from an inward-looking, timid country to one ready to welcome the world and do business with it. This carries great significance following last month’s rapprochement between him and his political adversary Raila Odinga.

It will take time for businesses to fully recover lost ground following the August 2017 bitterly fought elections, but there are signs that the economy is opening up and things are looking for most businesses. Some of the factors that either drove away or made foreign investors hesitate to come to Kenya include a charged political environment, insecurity, inefficiency and wastage and the high cost of energy. A combination of these would make doing business in any country burdensome.

It is understandable why Mr Kenyatta chose the UK to make his strongest pitch yet for Kenya; The UK is a leading investor in Kenya with at least 220 companies operating in the country running business valued at more than Sh350 billion employing a quarter million people.

A former British colony, Kenya shares more than heritage with its former colonial masters. In his address at Chatham House, President Kenyatta showcased Kenya’s achievements in making economic growth inclusive and the role it has played in supporting regional peace.

Inclusivity has been a thorny issue in daily discourse for many Kenyans. Indeed, there are millions who feel hard done by and speeches made in a faraway country while sampling the best of exotic cuisine while receiving VIP treatment means little. For them, the daily struggle to get by is not caused by the lack of foreign investors. Not at all. If only we could prudently use the little we have, Kenya would be a better place. Because why throw good money after bad?

Bad governance, corruption and wastage remains the Achilles heel in our growth agenda. When funds meant for projects to stimulate growth are pilfered or wasted, this inhibits job opportunities for the youth because it dissuades investors. Just like when the least deserving is given sweetheart deals for government contracts.

Put it another way: Corruption makes it extremely hard for the youth to climb the ladder of opportunity; it makes the provision of such vital services such as health and education prohibitively expensive.

Hopefully, Mr Kenyatta's appearance at the CHOGM will, if nothing else, nudge him and the political class to promote a clean, efficient, and more responsive government because, ultimately, we agree that we have what it will take to make Kenya a prosperous nation.