Lack of rain and severe drought threatens to leave six million Kenyans food insecure.
Prolonged droughts continue to amplify communities’ vulnerabilities and farmers are unable to get any substantive crop production while pastoralist communities have lost their livestock. On top of that, the recent economy is above and beyond ‘Wanjiku’s’ pocket.
Although it’s important to have a regime that acknowledges the role of God in leadership and paying taxes, relying majorly on prayers during times of economic difficulty is insufficient, in my view.
These are not the times of Moses when God sent manna from heaven to feed the Israelites. Redirecting the resources used in ‘prayer rallies’ towards practical interventions can help save lives from the impact of drought and economic challenges.
Read: Kenyans Decry Skyrocketing Fuel Prices Amidst High Cost Of Living
Equally, over-taxation is a burden on many Kenyans and should be addressed with the urgency it deserves. Although characterized as a vibrant economy, the inability to access a packet of unga and a cup of sugar is severe for poor and low-income Kenyans.
As a middle-income country, it’s critical that the government pursues the best ways to run its affairs. It needs to be intentional in its efforts in lowering poverty, reducing production cost, improving the quality of human life, and improving agriculture, which for decades have been the country’s strong economic hold.
The government needs to be aware and appreciate that Kenya has a diverse economy and citizens are blessed differently. Many are casual labourers who are only able to earn one meal a day and sometimes even nothing.
When one is not able to feed, their will to live is reduced. The country needs to grow more and import less. Empower both large- and small-scale farmers to produce more, thus lowering food prices.
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