Looking For Contributors
I’ve been thinking about doing this for awhile and now that the political stuff seems to be dying down, I’d like to invite people to contribute articles on this forum. So, if you think you have something interesting to say, particularly about business or entrepreneurship in Kenya {or anywhere else} and you don’t want to be bothered with having to write an entire blog on a regular basis, but would prefer to just submit intermittent articles once in awhile, please feel free to get in touch with me at: kenyanentrepreneur@gmail.com.
Of course, I’ll maintain all editorial control and I’ll have to approve the articles before they are published, but I’m just looking to expand the breadth of discussion and to provide different perspectives from different people.
Other than that, it’s a slow Monday. The U.S. economy seems to be on the brink of a major recession largely because of this sub-prime mess. Why do people in finance think they are rocket scientists?
I was talking to a dear friend in Kenya yesterday and she said something interesting to me. She is beginning to see the growth of a credit based economy in Kenya (banks are making it easier for people to get loans), but she’s staying away from it because she learnt her lesson when she was in the states and got into trouble with credit card debt.
It’s really a double edged sword. You need loans to start a business or even to buy a home and however way you look at it, it’s debt and as long as you have a job and can make those monthly payments, it’s okay, but what happens if you get laid off or fired? Or in the case of Kenya, what happens if the interest rates double overnight? Isn’t that what’s gotten the American economy in trouble? Everyone, individuals and institutions are carrying more debt than they can service.
If I owe you a pound, I have a problem; but if I owe you a million, the problem is yours.
John Maynard Keynes
Again I am the first one to contribute here. You seem to catch me just when I have the time to do so. Its a grey, chilly morning in London. Reminds me of my native Kiambu.
I think the Kenyan economy has great potential and people can do really well. The credit economy is vital for businesses. I cannot imagine businesses in the UK surviving without overdraft facilities. I think what Kenya needs right now is a way of resolving conflicts that does not involve bows and arrows.
I am confident that the Kenyan economy has sound fundamentals. It is not many countries that could have withstood what Kenya went through recently. That is a plus for us.
The politicians have a big responsibility to ensure that the economy stays intact even when they have disputes. kenyans should learn to disagree in an amicable manner – if there is such a thing.
Kenya is in a unique position and we need to exploit this to ensure that we raise our standard of living – for everybody.
As an aside, a friend of mine recently told me that Africans fail because they are great readers but they DO NOT WRITE. I found this statement intriguing. Is it true?????