Development Speed: 5kms per hour?
Kenya's development speed can be described at a paltry 5kms per hour. Kenya's overall development state in the 1960s-70s was almost at par with South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia. However today, these nations are New Industrialized Countries (NIC) while Kenya is not. South Korea is now the 13th biggest economy in the world while Kenya at number 148 of the UN's HDI, is thus the 30th poorest country in the world. As Kenya became more corrupt with inept leaders, the country ceased to make any development headway.
Hundreds of projects are hardly complete. The few that are complete take so long and most are of very poor quality due to corruption, wastage and misuse of public funds. Example: Karatina farmers market was started in 2010. Today 2015- i.e., 5 years down the line, the market is not completed hence 3,000 traders sell foodstuff in deplorable conditions on the roadside. The government looses monthly revenues of more than Ksh. 2.5 million that the market ought to be generating. In the capital city Nairobi is a 5.4km road in the Upper Hill area (see picture below). The project remained incomplete for over two years leading to a 90% drop in uptake of office spaces in Upper Hill area. This is the case with projects in all sectors: water dams, roads, railway, health centres, health equipment, police houses, etc. In the dry lands of Ukambani, a mega water dam was planned to start in 1994, but was only commissioned in 2009. It was abandoned midway and as of 2015- that is- 7years down the line, it is still incomplete. At the site lies heavy machinery (caterpillars, etc ), steel metal, pipes, etc all of which are rotting away while residents grapple with water and food shortages. The Voi-Wundanyi road has stalled for 2 years now. In Othaya, many projects started by President Kibaki (his home region) have been abandoned. Ksh. 501m had been pumped into Othaya Hospital for upgrading but the upgrading have ground to a halt. Medical equipment worth Ksh. 300m were bought but are today lying idle and others have been stolen or vandalized.
Many projects are not begun to benefit the people. They are initiated with the principal aim of acting as "cash cows". Billions of dollars have been paid out for virtually non existent projects. It's a triple tragedy for the people- they have to repay debts, yet there is no project and no service. Many projects are hardly completed during the tenure of the leader who laid the foundation stone as he/she was not so much interested with the project. The more the projects delay, the better for them because they are assured of more "kick backs". The public sector is simply used as a "cash cow" arena or a place to pass time, earn a living mainly through crooked rather than decent means, and a place to have a title for social status.
The Good Governance Team (GGT) that Dr. Joseph will be leading has made speedy completion of projects a priority. The faster the project is completed the faster the country and the people would develop. Delayed projects is an injustice meted to tax payers. To ensure projects are completed on time if not earlier while maintained high quality, the GGT-Kenya has developed 10 mechanisms. These will ensure value for money for the tax payers and enjoyment of good services much sooner. No single project will delay beyond the agreed timeframes.
Abandoned water project see Row Over Umaa Dam - YouTube