Multilateral Influence

The narrative and the philosophy guiding national policies in Kenya is inconsistent. It seems to be a patchwork of state, NGOs and World Bank decisions instead of a systems thinking approach primarily led by the government. 

How an issue is defined has an obvious consequence on how it is dealt with. As Albert Einstein said 'If I had an hour to solve a problem I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.” The prevailing view is that lack of capital is the reason for poverty, illiteracy etc.This distortion happens at the ideological level. The UN and multilateral organizations are where most ideas are sourced from; unfortunately even the best intentioned experts from these agencies lack local knowledge and frame of reference. The reforms, agendas and policies advised all touch different parts of the whole but hardly the entire system, and the largest issue affecting Kenya is an anathema to donors and diplomats because it touches on sovereignty i.e. Kenya’s responsibility to the citizenry. 

The appeal of donor funding by Kenyan government is understandable because it doesn’t have to be held accountable for it. Moreover, the donor community doesn’t loan funds based on commercial analysis even though feasibility studies are always done, but on their need to create their own success stories or to project their ideals on the receiving society. This development approach discourages self-reliance, personal provision for the future, sustained curiosity and a mindset that experiments.  It's been argued development aid “promotes dependence on others” as it creates the impression that “emergence from poverty depends on external donations rather than on people’s own efforts, motivation, arrangements and institutions.” 

Due to institutional breakdown and reliable donor funding a need for immediate results arose, the steady growth and learning that comes with saving and delaying satisfaction evaporated. If the readily available options for solving a problem weren’t adequate according to a theoretical ideal, the project was dropped and people didn’t get an opportunity to learn, trade with one another and consequently no chance for division of labor or specialization. This has hampered economic activity in the sense that 20 years after globalization most businesses aren’t specialized e.g. farmers dub in a little of everything, most common shops are general stores; with few supply chain networks, manufacturers have taken to importing finished products pending packaging to enjoy local production subsidies.

Most of Africa after independence experimented with forms of socialism and central planning which prompted the early governments to build national symbols, industries, and state marketing boards. In the meantime Asian countries were experimenting with rationalism - doing things because of knowledge and not belief – they adopted systems that were most suited to the conditions on the ground rather than a theoretical ideal. The results have been positive all around and it’s time for Africa to learn to be pragmatic. 

Policy through knowledge would encourage Kenyans to seek solutions to their problems through observation, research and experimenting instead of relying on guidance and prescribed theories from UN and World Bank. But I am afraid it won’t happen because rationalism and pragmatism involves taking responsibility, owning the ideas and having the courage to push through difficult/unpopular policies.