As someone who has studied economics and financial matters, I would not just agree that the Hustler movement is the solution to the ailing economy. However, I give Deputy President William Ruto full credit for giving voice to a problem that has been building over time.
He may have grown, like many of us, from humble beginnings, but he is not a poor man by any standards. He is a very hard working politician who able to read the moods , capturing the right political moments and taking advantage of them.
However those working on the ground in various community activities know we have a big economic problem that has made so many very unhappy. Unemployment and poverty are rising amongst a significant portion of the population everywhere in Kenya. These guys need hope and solutions like yesterday.
The hustler movement may not be the solution, but who is giving the alternative to appease the pained population? The current economic challenges did not begin during Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure. They have been accumulating. Over time we have messed our economy through acts of omission and commission, including corruption and tribalism. We failed to tap our strengths to grow the economy to keep up with our growing population.
Now we are paying the price. This cannot continue without sparking terrible consequences. The solution is rapid and radical economic transformation in industrialisation and an exporT-oriented regime that includes all sectors and industries that can bring in a lot of revenue and absorb massive labour.
This include quick fix areas such as manufacturing and tourism. It is however easier said than done. But as China and South Korea have proved to the world, it is doable. So also did Germany, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan among others.
Political, economic and social analyst
