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Who takes blame if broad based government fails, Ruto or Raila?
The broad-based government reboots President Ruto's economic turnaround agenda that has so far been mostly mixed, moving in fits and starts.
By Dennis Kabaara 3 months ago
Who takes blame if broad based government fails, Ruto or Raila?
Ruto's government has spending problem, income is way too much
It is fair to speculate that President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza administration might turn out to be our most disappointing since independence.
By Dennis Kabaara 3 months ago
Ruto's government has spending problem, income is way too much
'Hybrid' government birthed by protests, but point clearly missed
After a month of Gen Z-led pro-good governance, not anti-government, protests, we are back to default settings.
By Dennis Kabaara 3 months ago
'Hybrid' government birthed by protests, but point clearly missed
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Firing an entire cabinet in a presidential system is akin to firing yourself
In our presidential system of government of technical, not elected, ministers, firing your entire Cabinet sounds like you just fired yourself. But we are getting ahead of ourselves.
By Dennis Kabaara 4 months ago
Firing an entire cabinet in a presidential system is akin to firing yourself
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The hard task ahead for Kenya Kwanza after tax bill collapse
A second week of anti-tax protests meant the 2024 Finance Bill was not signed into law, but this was really an accountability moment for Kenya's leaders.
By Dennis Kabaara 4 months ago
The hard task ahead for Kenya Kwanza after tax bill collapse
The task before MPs: Time to drop vacuity and attempt augustness
The House on the Hill is increasingly being an acronym for Hubris, Incompetence, Lies and Looting.
By Dennis Kabaara 4 months ago
The task before MPs: Time to drop vacuity and attempt augustness
Budget maths not adding up and why it's in order to blame our MPs
It is becoming increasingly difficult to link this administration's fine words with its fancy (and correct) ideas - six objectives, five pillars, five clusters, nine value chains etc
By Dennis Kabaara 5 months ago
Budget maths not adding up and why it's in order to blame our MPs
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From secrets to statements, and why Kibaki's budgets hit home
The public narrative is Kibaki unlocked our potential with simplicity; Ruto is killing it with complexity.
By Dennis Kabaara 5 months ago
From secrets to statements, and why Kibaki's budgets hit home
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Budget 2024: The big picture and the IMF hand
While Finance Bill 2024 is widely unpopular across businesses and among the people, it is a necessary condition for continued IMF support to Kenya.
By Dennis Kabaara 5 months ago
Budget 2024: The big picture and the IMF hand
One man, one-shilling talk could be diversion trick from real issues
It is not beyond the wit of man to suspect that the timing of this debate is not a coincidence with reactions to it being just as noisy as the proposition.
By Dennis Kabaara 5 months ago
One man, one-shilling talk could be diversion trick from real issues
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Is government on 'fuliza' mode?
KRA average monthly tax take this year has been Sh171 billion against a target of Sh208 billion.
By Dennis Kabaara 6 months ago
Is government on 'fuliza' mode?
Kenya Kwanza's approach to the wage bill crisis could be better
In true fat cat fashion we heard nothing this week about two important issues: pay inequity and multiple allowances.
By Dennis Kabaara 7 months ago
Kenya Kwanza's approach to the wage bill crisis could be better
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Bane of Kenya Kwanza's Big Five agenda as regime enters second 18-month phase
Today's tragedy is we miss tomorrow's promise in Ruto's transformation agenda which, on paper, is rather clever in framing and structuring.
By Dennis Kabaara 7 months ago
Bane of Kenya Kwanza's Big Five agenda as regime enters second 18-month phase
Kenya Kwanza agenda lacks public buy-in
The trouble with this administration is they spent their first year telling us Jubilee was the existential threat, when it was our actual debt.
By Dennis Kabaara 9 months ago
Kenya Kwanza agenda lacks public buy-in
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Kenya in 2023: A case of being in motion without any movement
If 2023 was the year of "finyaa!" and pain for Kenyans, doesn't 2024 already feel like it might be "finyaa squared"?
By Dennis Kabaara 10 months ago
Kenya in 2023: A case of being in motion without any movement
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Forget dialogue, cost of living not about to come down any time soon
From KNBS, inflation came in at 6.6 per cent in December, a fall from 6.8 per cent the previous month and far lower than the 9.2 per cent when the Kenya Kwanza administration assumed office.
By Dennis Kabaara 10 months ago
Forget dialogue, cost of living not about to come down any time soon
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Began as national dialogue, ended up an incomplete elite settlement
It is difficult to understand what Parliament is expected to do with the recommendations on electoral reform, multiparty democracy, new political positions or fresh politically-inspired funds.
By Dennis Kabaara 10 months ago
Began as national dialogue, ended up an incomplete elite settlement
Leaders' words unhelpful if they do not address citizens' worries
Endless naysaying is one thing, but offering a different picture requires real work, and our politics is all about playful sound and fury.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Leaders' words unhelpful if they do not address citizens' worries
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Forget the norm, this is what we expect President to address today
State of Nation Address should be different from budget, economic policy or an inspiring national day speech. Reporting must speak to the status of who and where we are as a nation.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Forget the norm, this is what we expect President to address today
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Why Ruto's 'tax everything that moves' approach is bound to fail
The everyday Kenyan is fed up watching YouTube and TikTok clips of large motorcades and frequent flyer pictures of leaders escaping a country where many struggle to get home.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Why Ruto's 'tax everything that moves' approach is bound to fail
Cut cost of government, cost of doing business to lower cost of living
Fix the cost of doing business. Fix the cost of government. This begins to fix cost of living. Period.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Cut cost of government, cost of doing business to lower cost of living
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What tax collections say about Ruto's management of economy so far
We can argue all day long about tax rates, the tax base and the tax menu, but, at what point do we begin to accept that our tax/revenue/debt distress starts with our spending habits?
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
What tax collections say about Ruto's management of economy so far
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Ruto's shifting goalposts, fragile economy and other short stories
Kenya Kwanza's has disregarded the big promises that gave them victory. Ruto's second year in office does not inspire confidence as the economy worsens.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Ruto's shifting goalposts, fragile economy and other short stories
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Kenya Kwanza's ever-changing narratives bad for economy, livelihoods
Millions of beleaguered Kenyans are struggling with an unmanageable cost of living in a country where more jobs are lost than created while politicians talk and live large.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Kenya Kwanza's ever-changing narratives bad for economy, livelihoods
Tax summit a great idea, but this is what it should focus on
There's need to look at tax policy and tax strategy, as well as tax administration. The government should move from debt-inspired to growth-friendly taxation regime.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Tax summit a great idea, but this is what it should focus on
How much will it cost Kenya's economy to end rising poverty?
A different question could then be - is the size of attendance a proxy for the prevalence of poverty; larger crowds where it is more, and smaller where it is less?
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
How much will it cost Kenya's economy to end rising poverty?
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What Kenya needs is not 'nusu mkate' but permanent political settlement
Peaceful protest and demonstration does not equal violence and looting, neither does democratic policing and law enforcement equal beating and shooting.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
What Kenya needs is not 'nusu mkate' but permanent political settlement
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With tyranny of numbers, Kenya Kwanza can only offer painful menu
In betting on the budget against the economy, Kenya Kwanza's tyranny of numbers sounds like it's business as usual mode while promising economic transformation.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
With tyranny of numbers, Kenya Kwanza can only offer painful menu
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Budget 2023: When rubber meets the road
Fresh cost of living pain will visit Kenyans soon. This could fan public discontent in a way that favours an opposition struggling to keep up with Kenya Kwanza's highly disciplined populism.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Budget 2023: When rubber meets the road
Budget 2023: Rubber meets the road as fresh pain visits Kenyans
There could be public discontent in a way that favours an opposition struggling to keep up with Kenya Kwanza's highly disciplined populism
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Budget 2023: Rubber meets the road as fresh pain visits Kenyans
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The Sh210b back story largely ignored in this year's budget
The Budget 2023 has run for 217 days, or 31 weeks, since the process was launched by the Treasury CS on Thursday, November 10, 2022.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
The Sh210b back story largely ignored in this year's budget
Get ready for intriguing figures, roles and noisy budget making
This noisier-than-usual budget season has offered Kenyans a civic education moment on "bread and butter issues" beyond complexities like the Constitution or BBI.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Get ready for intriguing figures, roles and noisy budget making
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Use the budget season to show Kenyans how to revive economy
What we need is explanation of the debt management strategy, realistic revenue plan and programmatic spending plan
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Use the budget season to show Kenyans how to revive economy
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Tricky balance: Why 'maandamano' is Ruto's leadership test moment
Azimio has demonstrated that they can shut down anything up to a third of the economy in next to no time. Ruto needs to take charge. In case he doesn't get it, he is the President.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Tricky balance: Why 'maandamano' is Ruto's leadership test moment
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The real cost of Azimio protests is more than Sh10 billion a day
For the government to deliver on its mandate, we only need the leader. All else is detail. This administration is facing a much larger task than they anticipated on the campaign trail.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
The real cost of Azimio protests is more than Sh10 billion a day
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Kenya Kwanza is operating as if it will be first-ever one term deal
The policy thinking that their campaign manifesto offered has now been reduced to transactions. It remains beyond comprehension that we actively and passively refuse to address public spending.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Kenya Kwanza is operating as if it will be first-ever one term deal
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Kenya needs BBI back on the table not handshake to solve issues
But we cannot afford another handshake if we wish for a truly democratic and accountable state. The current divide does not represent our long-term aspirations to be a true and proper nation.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Kenya needs BBI back on the table not handshake to solve issues
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What data tells us about Kenya as a company
Much of what we have heard over the past six months from Kenya Kwanza is plenty of moaning. When we get to the food poverty count the tables dramatically turn.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
What data tells us about Kenya as a company
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DP's utterances show Kenya Kwanza wants nation to remain in poll mode
Gachagua has shown one of his key roles as being to protect and promote those who voted for the Kenya Kwanza as priority preference shareholders in our national schema of development.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
DP's utterances show Kenya Kwanza wants nation to remain in poll mode
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Parliament must look at State's plans first, then budgets follow
Nobody wants to consider the irony that every CDF activity is a response to wider institutional failure. I've never understood how Parliament approves budgets without considering underlying plans.
By Dennis Kabaara 1 year ago
Parliament must look at State's plans first, then budgets follow
Pharmacy Board recalls Allied Limited's nasal drops, Efinox
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Why voters might make Ruto one-term president
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