This is what it will take for Kenya to gain first-world status by 2055

It is the new rallying call from the State House to the streets: Kenya will be a developed country by 2055, 30 years from now.

By 9 days ago

Spare a thought for farmers in white highlands

There is something therapeutic about visiting the countryside. It reminds us of our roots.

By 12 days ago

Why invisible tariffs should keep us awake at night

Tariffs, in addition to raising government revenues, protect the domestic market, which is why they are popular with politicians.

By 14 days ago

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How long will the ghost of debt haunt our country?

Like a ghost, debt haunts our no longer young nation. The recent media report that 92 per cent of our tax was used to settle public debt in one quarter left my head spinning.

By 15 days ago

Gitunduti rise as Kenya's major university town

Hostels hosting students from Karatina University are taking over small tea farms in Gitúndútí

By 20 days ago

As we mourned, 2025 Nobel prize winners were named

Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado's opposition to the Venezuelan government and its policies may have won her the coveted Nobel prize.

By 21 days ago

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Beyond Raila: Will Kenya now face a spectre of political, economic winter?

Raila's long shadow will shorten with time, just like other great men before him. Other events will overshadow him. We hope for positive events. 

By 23 days ago

A boda boda ride that opened my economic eyes

One of the tragedies of improving your economic status is getting isolated from ordinary people, the hoi polloi.

By 27 days ago

Reliance on legal solutions won't solve all our problems

Traditionally, laws were not written; they evolved over time and took into consideration the contexts.

By 28 days ago

Managing change: Lessons as Japan inches closer to getting female PM

It’s unprecedented that Japan could get its first female Prime Minister, long after the UK, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Argentina, and New Zealand.

By 27 days ago

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Why Raila's demise mirrors the end of Cold War in early 1990s

The media was Raila’s home as it shaped his image and brand. Like Uhuru Kenyatta, Raila came from a well up family, but connected with the masses.

By 29 days ago

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Made in UK and quality link: Is the Empire striking back?

The return of UK products is interesting. Is Brexit a factor? It’s not just second-hand products but also education.

By 1 month ago

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Economics of heroism: Can we learn from golf and athletics?

Heroism can’t be about public relations; it must be about something tangible, something one did and has possibly an intergenerational impact.

By 1 month ago

Westlands market's beauty and how self-regulation has kept it spick and span

The Westlands market in Nairobi contrasts with the affluence of the Westlands area, indicated by malls, high-end hotels and grade A offices.

By 1 month ago

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The unintended consequences of political and economic paralysis

Dynamism, where decisions are expeditiously made, where economic and political players are allowed to exercise their discretion within the confines of the law, works best in the long run. 

By 1 month ago

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Unearthing my family's hidden past in Embu

That was surprising because I have never seen a wedding certificate among his many documents. 

By 1 month ago

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Why Nairobi is slowly turning into an 'economic rainforest'

The drainage system in the Nairobi economic rainforest is poor.

By 1 month ago

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Marvels of California's innovations

The Silicon Valley innovation spills over into tourism and leisure. Can you imagine tourists seeking to see the Nyali or Nithi bridges?

By 1 month ago

End of the calabash? Rise of plastic alternative a big win for innovators

The replacement of the calabash is a reminder that most innovations mimic or copy nature.

By 1 month ago

Kenya can have own Stellenbosch beyond wine and vineyards

Kenya can start marketing banana and cactus wines and exploit tourism to become an advanced economy like South Africa.

By 1 month ago

Of Meta, Stanford and lessons from Silicon Valley

Our next destination after visiting Google headquarters was Facebook, now Meta.

By 1 month ago

Cheers to Kenyan trio brewing muratina for fun in California

A visit to California left no doubt that we also love our intoxicating drinks and carry them along wherever we go. 

By 2 months ago

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The colonial legacy of 'kitchen totos' and 'shamba boys' lives on

But why do the stories of kitchen totos and shamba boys matter? 

By 2 months ago

Google's firm culture an eye-opener

Google has blurred the border between work and leisure, the workspace is designed for freedom, with no traditional office cubicles.

By 2 months ago

Rafiki: of tastier Kenyan cuisine in Pacific Northwest

Kenyans are not exceptional; they carry their food wherever they go.

By 2 months ago

Investing more on transport systems to catalyse our economic growth

One reason we take too long to improve our logistics is that we see it in terms of roads, railways, ports or airports.

By 2 months ago

Letter from Massachusetts, the citadel of American intellectualism

Massachusetts, with only 4.6 per cent of Kenya’s land mass, has six times Kenya's GDP. The secret behind its economy is services and innovation. 

By 2 months ago

Why Kenya leaders should 'dehustlise' the economy

More innovation and technology reduce hustling jobs and increase high-quality jobs that require less muscle power but still pay better.

By 2 months ago

CBE: Lessons from America's Seattle elementary school

When it came to changing our education system, we looked to the US, but via Canada through the 8.4.4 system while the CBE looks very American, minus resources. 

By 2 months ago

Down memory lane the 'Emerald City'

What would you expect if you returned to a place 20 years after you left?  If the place is Kenya, especially Nairobi, the answer would be “unrecognisable.”

By 2 months ago

Why M-Pesa could not gain traction in South Africa

M-Pesa, one of the most successful innovations in Kenya could not gain traction in South Africa (SA).

By 2 months ago

The hearth vs flat screen TV: The winner is

The hearth may be gone in most homes, but It was a symbol of togetherness, a fountain of wisdom and inspiration, with no TV or radio “interruption” for news or entertainment.

By 2 months ago

Beyond omqombothi and inhloko: S Africa's historical links with Kenya

We need to leverage this historical link to increase the level of trade and other engagements with SA.

By 2 months ago

Is there a limit to hustling even as it is celebrated in Kenya?

Data can be surprising; only about 20 per cent of the South African (SA) economy is informal. In Kenya, it’s 80 per cent.

By 2 months ago

The economic inequality; can we close the gap?

Taxes should ensure no one falls through the cracks by providing subsidised housing, education, health, food and other basics. Currently, there is a big debate on a basic income for all. 

By 2 months ago

The Kenyan link in idyllic eMkhomazi

This is the third letter from South Africa, the only country in Africa with “Africa” in its name. You can contest the Central African Republic.

By 3 months ago

Letter from SA's Empangeni and lessons on urbanisation

The journey to equality, integration and high standards of living is long and exhausting; it requires national boldness and leadership.

By 3 months ago

Why growth without development keeps us stuck

The size of the economy, gross domestic product (GDP) keeps growing but not the standards of living. 

By 3 months ago

The economics of empathy

The lack of empathy is misinterpreted as confidence and toughness. But it’s counterproductive in the long run.

By 3 months ago

Letter from Richard's Bay, South Africa

Despite all the stories of xenophobia, South Africa is a welcoming country and truly a rainbow nation, in colours and cultures.

By 3 months ago