See my opinion piblished in the business daily today on Lessons benchmarking offers institutions.
Share you thoughts on the importance of benchmarking for Kenya and Africa.
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Opinion-and-Analysis/Lessons-benchmarking-offers-institutions/-/539548/1758198/-/12u18ci/-/index.html
Wandeto Law is a blog meant to share views, insight and experiences in Employment and Labour Law. As we practice law at Wandeto & Co. Advocates and Legal Consultants. We always seek to help clients prevent and manage employment and corporate disputes through Preventive Lawyering. Therefore, our practice is highly advisory our services range from due diligence legal compliance, industrial relations management, dispute resolution and constitutional compliance. info@wandetolaw.co.ke
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Can we ever find a balance?
See the link to an article i wrote for the business daily just before the general elections on the need for Kenya (and indeed other African countries) to balance between business and politics.
I hope the President and his deputy are listening especially as the cabinet nominees prepare to take office after vetting by Parliament. Together let us build a prosperous nation.
Do you think we can ever find the balance? Are we doing enough?
See the link.
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Opinion-and-Analysis/We-must-balance-politics-and-business/-/539548/1699760/-/d2l4tb/-/index.html
I hope the President and his deputy are listening especially as the cabinet nominees prepare to take office after vetting by Parliament. Together let us build a prosperous nation.
Do you think we can ever find the balance? Are we doing enough?
See the link.
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Opinion-and-Analysis/We-must-balance-politics-and-business/-/539548/1699760/-/d2l4tb/-/index.html
Your County: Will you participate?
One
of the key objectives of devolution is to bring services closer to the people.
It is a move from the central system of government to a government where people
can contribute towards their collective economic and social welfare. Our
legislators should know that it is no longer business as usual. The Constitution
has placed the people at the core of every governance process either directly
or indirectly through their elected representatives.
The
County Government Act for instance is very clear on the role of a County
Assembly representative which is to act as the intermediary between the people
and the County Assembly. They are supposed to consult the electorate and
present their issues in the Assembly for debate. The Governor and the county
executive committee are also supposed to be accountable to the people. They
should consult the people, eg through public forums before decisions affecting
them are affected. Residents of a County will for instance participate in the
formulation of county development plans.
I
am mindful that we are fast approaching the budgetary season, if I may call it
so. We are likely to see several tugs of war. One is between the national and
county governments as the latter fight for their rightful share of the national
revenue. The second is a fight at the county level as Kenyans seek to be
involved in the budgetary process. With billions of shillings being allocated
to counties, Kenyans should be keen to ensure that the funds are not
wholesomely allocated to recurrent expenditure.
At
the county level public participation is not an option or a recommendation, it
is a legal requirement. Devolution has therefore heralded a new era whore the
voice and opinions of the people matter. Governance is now participatory, it is
not a matter of elected representatives alone. It is the representatives and
the electorate.
However
I must sound a warning that although the Constitution and various county
legislations have opened the door for public participation, Kenyans must remain
vigilant. I am sure some leaders will be happy if the public does not bother to
participate since they will have been saved the rigorous duty of being
accountable to the last coin.
If
devolution is to truly succeed, you must participate fully.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Simple procurement
Find an interesting opinion piece calling for a change to the Procurement laws in Kenya.
Enjoy @ the link below
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Opinion-and-Analysis/Make-the-procurement-law-business-friendly/-/539548/1749236/-/lsukec/-/index.html
Enjoy @ the link below
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Opinion-and-Analysis/Make-the-procurement-law-business-friendly/-/539548/1749236/-/lsukec/-/index.html
Friday, April 5, 2013
Lets talk food, food, more food and water.
One may ask so what
should be the new government’s top priority? Should it be implementation of the
Constitution, land reform, foreign policy or job creation? To answer this very
important question, we can borrow a leaf from China. At the moment Kenya is rapidly
looking east to attract investments, support an ambitious development agenda
and seek good export market. Kenya is also looking east for Economic Bench
marking against the Asian Tigers like Singapore. Kenya therefore has both
lessons and insights it can learn from the East. Now let us focus on China as
we explore an answer to the introductory question.
China’s rapid
economic growth started with a clear economic blueprint just at Kenya has the
Vision 2030. However, most interesting is the first problem China sought to
solve in the 1980’s, it was food security. China wanted its population to be
well fed. They invested in efficient large-scale agriculture. On the other hand
despite having a well researched vision, majority of Kenyans are still
struggling to meet their most basic needs, food (including water), shelter and
affordable healthcare.
I therefore believe
that the most pressing need is ensuring food security. If my belief must have
the most popular phrase in Kenya today ‘Implementation of the Constitution’,
then I will do exactly that. A clear policy on implementation of Article 43 on
Economic and Social Rights should be our priority. Article 43 (1) (c) specifically
provides that every person has the right to be free from hunger and to have
adequate food of acceptable quality. It does not mean that we will not address
other aspects of development e.g. Technological innovations but we should have
a specific priority target – food and water.
If Kenyans are well
fed, we are most likely going to address the issue of preventable and lifestyle
diseases. We shall also address the problem of insecurity since poverty and
lack of food contributes to people’s desperation and they therefore result to
petty crimes just to put food on the table. Within weeks and months, petty
crime grows to hard-core and organized crime and then we have a security
nightmare. Once people are well fed, they will not think about how to put food
on the table. Instead they will seek ways of being productive and to generate
and implement ideas. Women in arid areas will no longer spend their entire
lives with on their hands and children on their backs, looking for water. They
will instead apply their mind to developing the lives of their families. In the
same way children will not miss school to attend to the daily chore of fetching
water, they will instead be well nourished to attend school and develop their
minds and transform society.
Food security has
been a thorn in Kenya’s fresh for years. It is time the National and County
governments addresses this problem. County governments have a golden moment to
transform various counties into food baskets if they invest heavily in
agriculture. However it is not the role of government alone, government
facilitates. Corporate can for instance invest in agriculture as part of their
Corporate Social Investment. Various companies can also partner to implement an
irrigation project in an arid area which will go a long way in transforming
lives.
Despite the fact
that the implementation of Article 43 rights should be progressive. The government
should start making such progress towards providing accessible, affordable and
quality food and water. I am sure this will help us have a more prosperous and
stable nation.
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