I am in the States but I think anyone who sends money back home to support people there does nothing for the economy. As a matter of fact, it is an insult for the government to be trumpeting the KShs 65 Billion being sent from the Diaspora. You mean to tell me you have done such a bad job in building the economy that remittances are the leading source of foreign exchange in the country?

I think we need to have programs where actual solutions such as helping families gain real wealth through entrepreneurship or investments or the like. This will build the economy while providing families with real sources of income. To keep sending money is to keep training people to rely on you for ever. The only way to solve our problems and progress is solve the root cause of sending money – poverty. That by the way is solved by giving the poor a chance to make their OWN money, not yours.

Your are a Top man!

Insipirational poem I came across;

“If you think you are beaten, you are,
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you like to win but you think you can’t,
It is almost certain you won’t.

“If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost,
For out in the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will-
It’s all in the state of mind.

“If you think you are outclassed, you are,
You’ve got to think high to rise,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize

“Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster (wo)man,
But soon or later the man who wins
Is the (wo)man WHO THINKS HE/SHE CAN!”

As is obvious, nobody can force the diaspora Kenyans to come back home and and build the country, but they must realize what they are doing is irrelevant in the bigger picture. Besides how do they think the high rises, the road networks and superior technological advances in US and Europe were made. By research, dedication, investment etc NOT by somebody wiring money every month!

Thinker is right, you cannot have your cake and eat it!! This problem would be solved by requiring all who proceed to emigrate for flimsy reasons to leave their national identity and citizenship at the door. Proceed to live “feed yourself” and “take care of immediate needs”. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out.

This is not an issue of patriotism, it is an issue of common sense! An analogy: if you spend all your time cleaning other people’s houses, using extraordinary “next generation” cleaning agents, then neglecting your own house, then complain that nothing is getting done in your own house!! Who do you think will do it?? Jeez!! If it is a problem of technology and resources, complaining about using “outdated” cleanign agents will not help, since you have been exposed to these fancy Western gadgets and technology, apply the same in your own house.

Now extrapolate this situation to whatever sector is of interest to you, the economy, technology, academia etc. The Kenyans who have studied abroad are in a position of great advantage in that they have been exposed first hand to the mechanisms in the Western commerce and industry and if motivated enough can reproduce this knowledge and creativity in their home turf.

The comment(s) equating this mass emigration of Kenyans (for flimsy reasons) to foreign (usually Western countries) to rural-urban migration is incorrect. It is apples and oranges. The relatives one has in Siaya, Kerugoya or Mtwapa are all citizens of Kenya, any economic or structural growth benefits them, albeit not immediately. The gains and advancements made in research, technology etc done in foreign countries using their resources are the property of those sovereign countries.

People just need to stop the delusion. The masses will continue to go abroad, some will achieve great heights in their careers, others will be doing low level jobs for decades on end. Others still will come back home, secure excellent jobs in MNC, parastatals and private companies, and yet others will come back home, find their skills are not applicable and suffer massive frustration. All these are possible outcomes. Nothing in life is a guarantee. However, the delusion must stop. Wiring funds from abroad at regular intervals is NOT building the country.

Final thought: There is a vicious cycle set in place in Kenya. You have all seen/heard/met the token expatriate high level manager in many companies. Some are qualified, others grossly underqualified. I do believe, with the exception of some multinational companies and any underhanded politics aside, there was at some point a shortage of native Kenyans with the requisite skills/experience/education in some sectors. However, that was then, this is now, with graduates from both local schools and those abroad having advanced degrees in fields like Engineering and IT, there is no excuse not to hire local. BUT with all the good qualified folks running away, what option do they have but…..drum roll please…bring in yet another expat.

What happens next, pockets of students and grads in America, Europe and Asia whine on end about their employment prospects back in Kenya. How only foreigners get the top level juicy jobs. It is a vicious cycle people. Only we can stop it.

So either come back home, roll up your sleeves and get to work or stay wherever you are, wire back your weekly/monthly/annual remittance but do not expect a collective show of gratitude and appreciation from Kenya and Kenyans as a whole.

If the above is not true, i pray, do tell, what ails Africa?