By Paul Njenga
The year 2025, calls for a paradigm shift in the thinking capacity of the leadership and the management teams of the county governments. A new mindset will ensure exploitation of the full potential of the economic opportunities in the counties and achieving the economic dreams in the country.
There is a big deception that occurs at the beginning of every year. We are always quick to use the three-word cliche ‘Happy New Year’. The deception is from the fact that we have made it through another year and we are crossing over to the next.
While this is the only fact about the newness of the period, it may not be so on the newness of our minds, ideas and aspirations.
The sad fact is that while other countries are in their 2025, 2030 or even 2033, some countries may still be in their ‘80s or ‘90s in their thinking. Indeed, a person’s true age is measured not by the calendar but rather by the processing power of their mind.
For Kenya, this being the third phase of devolution, there is a need for a paradigm shift in the thinking capacity of the leadership and the management teams of the county governments.
As champions of devolution, hard questions need to be asked about the independence and interdependence of the two levels of government.
There can be no mention of independence without some economic implications and hence independence is economic in nature.
However, economic independence is impossible without mental independence which can only occur at the zone of innovation where ordinary people do extraordinary things.
Independence is a function of economic endowment and is realizable through laying conditions necessary for the takeoff without which the dream will always remain to be a mirage.
Our third president the late Mwai Kibaki was categorical on the effectiveness and efficiency of revenue collection.
Tulipe ushuru tujitegemee; simply put let’s generate revenue for economic independence.
Since the National Treasury embraced this clarion call we have witnessed tremendous growth in domestic revenue generation which has eventually led to low reliance on the donors as was being witnessed in the past.
But have we really exploited all our potential in revenue collection? No, but we are somewhere not where we used to be.
What is the real measure of economic maturity and hence the independence or lack of it and how can this be achieved?
Most counties and individuals are still complaining about how their ‘big brother’ is controlling them and always fighting for space.
A now nagging complaint is how the exchequer release has been delayed.
While this could be their constitutional right, it doesn’t in any way remove the fact that counties have great potential that if properly harnessed could lead to both political and economic maturity.
People all over the world visit Israel and Dubai which are basically desert countries. In Israel, people visit to see the Biblical/ religious sites and other innovative projects, in Dubai, desert safari and other technological sites. What amazes me is that most of our counties have great comparative advantages in stock which are untapped.
Turkana county for example has more beautiful sand dunes for desert safari coupled with the fresh water Lake Turkana with the most delicious fish, beautiful beaches and rich history! Just imagine the untapped wealth in this county and how its management can boost its own source revenue through the allocation of resources towards the promotion of tourism activities.
Counties have a lot of potential which the Commission on Revenue Allocation has always pointed out. What is needed is leadership that will develop the environment and the capacity to convert it into revenue.
Conversion power is demonstrated in how resources can be transformed from one state to another.
Counties and individuals need to know that minds can be liberated to dream big and not be conformed to the old ways of doing things but rather be transformed by the renewing of their minds; Romans 12:2
Mr Njenga is a former finance chief officer in the county government of Laikipia. Mr. Njenga is the former CO of finance Laikipia and is currently the CEO Lakefront Development corporation.
