From: Faulu Suba
Nyanza has not exploited its full potential despite having all the factors of production in abundance. Talk of land, capital, labor, knowledge and entrepreneurship.
However, land, capital, labor and knowledge are not put into proper use because the focus of Nyanza entrepreneurship is politics, sizing one another and finishing one another. This is evident in the number of professionals who come from Nyanza who instead of using their professional knowledge to guide the people on where to invest, they all rush to destructively compete for few political seats.
In addition, politics is seen as the solution of all problems. An accomplished aquatic scientist instead of telling the people how to better manage lake Victoria will tell you he needs a political office. A sociologist instead of telling the people how best to mobilize themselves for business tells us he needs a political office to do that. A banker instead of telling us opportunities for microfinance and Business Finance is saying he needs a political office before doing that. Computer professionals instead of encouraging schools and the youth to invest in ICTs so that Nyanza is digitally enabled for economic take off would tell you he needs a political office first.
My questions are: when will professionals from Nyanza learn to return back to society without expecting anything more from society? when will they learn that development comes from responsible utilization of resources through business? When will they learn that a business driven economy develops faster than a politically driven economy.
My suggested solution is: apply the principle of comparative and absolute advantages and support the few individuals who are good in politics and hold them to account, then the rest of us to excel in what we are good at; show faith in Nyanza by investing in Nyanza and give to society without expecting any returns.
Faulu this is a challenging yet inspiring input you have placed here. This just came when a group of friends living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CANADA were sharing these challenges. The group aspires to invest heavily in Nyanza so thanks for the inspiration. I urge like minded people probably in the diaspora, that if we could come together with a common economic and professional goal then we all could make Nyanza an Economic Giant, Politics left aside.
I congratulate the Canada group for being ahead. If Nyanza diaspora in each of the country they represent Nyanza can form an investment group to mobilze investments in Nyanza tourism, Nyanza agribusiness, East Africa water transport, Nyanza would experiance an economic take off in the next 5 years. I have been there and the infrsatructure is improved.
With the knowldge base in sons and daughtors of Nyanza, it should also be an education and reseach centre of choice in Africa. There are so many academics from Nyanza who can puts heads together to developm centres of excellence in academics and research in Nyanza.
I personally feel the time for blaming the government is long gone. We have to lead our people out of poverty.
You can also check Nyanza Economic Forum based in Nairobi and check if you can share with them.