President Uhuru Kenyatta and the First Lady Margaret Kenyatta meets with
diaspora Kenyans in London. Many Kenyans in the diaspora are not
willing to invest back in the country. Photo/FILE
I recently held a hearty discussion with
fellow Kenyan diasporans about the tonnes of investment opportunities
back home and asked them if they had any existing investments or
interests.
From one to the other, the response was
same; No! Upon further inquiry, the common response was related to
horror stories of swindling and the buck always stopped with the
government.
The main question they asked me was: “Why
should I invest in the country if even the government does not recognise
me as a Kenyan and does not acknowledge my constitutional right to
vote? I would rather just send some money to the family, then invest
elsewhere – here in the US or other developing countries like Rwanda.”
The
diaspora is the fourth highest income earner for the country. It could
easily be the highest if the government moved to rebuild relations with
the 48th county after decades of sidelining it.
The
diaspora’s right to vote is the greatest concern at the moment, as it is
a right enshrined in the Constitution. There are still fresh wounds
after the IEBC used the term “progressive” in the Constitution to
register only 3,000 out of approximately three million diaspora voters,
of whom only about 1,000 (.03 per cent) voted in the last election.
There is nothing progressive about that.
Another key
area of concern is engagement between the foreign missions and diaspora
communities. Relationships have been at an all-time low, with the
majority in the diaspora dissatisfied with treatment meted out by many
embassy staff, as well as a perceived lack of interest in matters
involving the same communities, such as a rise in suicides, domestic
violence leading to death, and other such problems. This outreach role
is being left to local deejays, promoters and community pastors.
A
third high-level area of interest is investment in Kenya, and this
seems to be the main one the government is focusing on while ignoring
the other two.
Sadly, asking for investment from oppressed citizens is akin to slapping someone, then asking her to dance with you.
Over
half a year ago, at a London meeting, the President described the
diaspora as his 48th and richest county. He guaranteed us voting rights
in the next elections, and as we enter 2014, we in the diaspora believe
the President has an interest in and concern for the diaspora, but they
have little faith that the greater administration shares the same
interest.
One year into the new administration, we have
a new Foreign Affairs Cabinet secretary who is yet to formally tour the
diaspora to meet the communities.
The closest the
diaspora has been towards any government acknowledgement is the creation
of a diaspora representative role in the Office of the President, only
that the post was awarded to an individual who has never lived in the
diaspora, and who is clueless about its interests.
Instead,
he spends most of his time on social media fighting unrelated battles.
Because such individuals are the face of government, their actions are
what we in the diaspora are using to judge the new administration.
As
with most incoming administrations, there is a transitional period in
which the new government is getting adjusted and acquainted with
day-to-day operations.
It would have, therefore, been
more effective to appoint a diaspora advisory transition team in the
Office of the President that can serve as a think-tank to identify key
diaspora interests, needs and ways to cross-engage.
Mr
Kerre is a New York City-based co-convener of the Kenya Diaspora
Alliance as head of Aktive Advocacy Group. He is also a cyber-security
expert. (pkerre@gmail.com)
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