Those of you who are regular readers of this blog may already know that I have a special interest in matters public budgets in Kenya.
Today I’ve decided to take some time to explain in details why i’ve an interest on planning and budgeting in Kenya. I have decided to list 5 reasons why public finance is noble to us.
For the last four years and six months that I’ve been working in advocacy, I’ve learnt a number of lessons. Let’s start right now.
- Budget is one of the most important public policies
It is absolutely true that budget is one of the most important policies in any country. What can super powers do without public money. Will Iran and North Korea develop nuclear weapons? Even war will not happen in devoid of public resources from taxpayers! That is how powerful public finance is.
There is nothing much states or regional governments can achieve without budgets. On the same note, I believe that we can change or better still transform lives using budgets.
2. We finance those budgets
Governments all over the world mobilize their revenues from various sources. Chief among them being taxation, grants and loans.
Taxation is responsible for raising a lot of resources. This basically means that we are the bosses. We’re the ones who makes things go round. The leaders and civil servants are just custodians. This is why Article 1 of Constitution of Kenya says that “sovereignty power belongs to the people of Kenya.
3. I’m an expert on public planning and budgeting
This blog has been focusing mostly on issues of public policy and this is my domain or territory. Let me talk about myself further. I am an economist trained at Kenyatta University’s School of Economics and currently studying public policy at Masters level (read Masters).
I promise to always use simplified language and avoid jargon by all means. I commit to use this blog to reach mullions of Kenyans out there. I shall at all times explain all public policy terms, concepts and ideas in a friendly language so that you don’t have to go to college in order to read this blog. Every citizen who care about our motherland is well to read and share these ideas.
You are also welcome to write a guest blog to be featured on this blog.
In fact in future we may resort to writing in Swahili and even local languages if that helps.
4. There are a lot of untold stories in public budgets and planning
Public policy has a lot of untold stories. For instance, there are many Kenyans who cannot list even 1 flagship project that is planned for in their home counties. You maybe one of them. However you have a right to prove me wrong by hitting down just one flagship project from your home county!
I was one of them until I became an active citizen! Now I know better. I promise that if you read this blog regularly and tell us which stories and analyses you want us to concentrate on, we will both be better citizens.
5. I love writing
I’ve always loved writing. I embraced the art of writing right from my time at Nyambaria High School where I served as the Chairman of Journalism Club. We used to write stories and post them on the school notice board.
I worked with bright guys such as Steve Biko and Csir Manyara and Steve Biko among others. My favorite subject was English Literature. I enjoyed reading poems, short stories, novels and oral literature.
Nowadays I read classic novels such as the shortbstories written by Samuel Longhorne Clemens aka Mark Twain and George Orwell famous for his book “Animal Farm” and of course I read works of the Father of African Literature Chinua Achebe among other writers.
Now, as an economist I aim at using my love for literature to share with the masses on economic, social and cultural issues.
Bonus reason: Counties and national governments will always produce development plans and budgets every year. This forms a very good base for our stories. Right now we aim at analyzing County integrated development plans for all the 47 counties among other juicy stories.
I promise that I will personalize the stories and above all you take the appropriate action for us to build a better Kenya.
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