A 24- HOUR ECONOMY IS POSSIBLE IN KENYA

Interestingly at the moment, Nairobi, which has been described in some not so flattering terms by foreign diplomats and press corps in the past, and which accounts for over 50% of our GNP, is relatively calm at the moment with few incidents of mugging and carjacking reported. This is an indication of relative political peace and an active police force. During the last General elections some political party leaders put it in their manifestos that once elected as president they intended to make our country a 24-hour economy starting with Mombasa port and the capital Nairobi. However, as is expected of politicians at campaign time, that was quickly put in the back burner the moment they took up political positions and they are now busy crafting new messages to pass to the ever gullible electorate. Whereas, all that could be trashed as political rhetoric, I believe, there is room, with political goodwill and good leadership to revamp our economy and eventually make it a 24-hour one. Before this can be realized, there will be need to address a few salient areas that have to be put in order. Firstly, manufacturing, that could create lots of jobs by working for 24 hours require reliable and cheap power so as to remain competitive not only in the region but also in the world stage. We have untapped sources of energy in wind and solar which requires targeted investment for power generation. With the reliable power available, we could light our homes and streets continuously thereby reducing the activities of those with criminal minds. The second area of concern has been the inability of our law enforcers to cope with their work and do it effectively. Therefore, the number of police officers has to be increased, they will need to be motivated and well equipped to do their work well. We now boast of some of the best salaries for MPs, Judges, Permanent Secretaries, etc which are comparable to the best in the world but not in our police force. Thirdly, the traffic gridlock as witnessed in Nairobi at the present is choking industry and affecting business. There is therefore need to avail good road and rail transport for both commuters and goods in line with a vibrant economy. Finally, our port of Mombasa should have been made a free port like Port Louis in Mauritius and Singapore a long time ago so as not only to serve the region  but also the world. Anyway, Nakumatt has shown through their retail shops that we have the capacity to work for 24 hours, let's borrow from them!