Prepare for More Tougher Times Ahead - Mudavadi Warns

By Mwakwaya Raymond

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmailcom

Kenyans should brace themselves for more tougher economic times ahead, prime cabinet secretary and foreign affairs minister Musalia Mudavadi has warned.

Mudavadi said this was as a result of the global economies being disrupted by global shocks.

He said severe economic pressures driven by a combination of surging fuel prices as a result of the crisis in the conflict prone Middle East coupled with other emerging global trends should be an awakening call to Kenyans.

“In the recent past humanity has been affected due to what is going on globally: affecting economies, livelihoods, and destabilizing societies. Kenyans must realise that it is not going to be like instant coffee to fix some of the challenges we are facing now.” he said.

“It might not be business as usual in the next three or four months as a result of what is happening in the middle east, and the surge in oil prices is only one of the indicators that we should begin thinking of alternative solutions that will be available to make us survive.”

The foreign affairs CS said those challenges were fueling widespread inflation, increasing transport and production costs, and threatening job security across board and Kenyans should be worried of the net effects, stop finger-pointing and rally together to find both medium- and long-term solutions for sustainability.

He said from the COVID-19 shock that shook the world, the Russia-Ukraine war and many other emerging shocks nations are yet to fully recover and stabilize their economies.

He was speaking when he officially closed the week-long Science, Technology, Research and Innovation week that was being held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi.

“Advancements in solutions from skills in technology and innovation, based on enhanced science and research should be the central focus for us. We need to think outside the box to help society adjust to the global shocks through accelerated research and innovation,” he said.

“We should begin thinking of what innovations we are bringing to the market and be honest to each other that the impact of these shocks especially what is happening in the middle east, is going to be with us for sometimes.”

Mudavadi said not only Kenya, but the globe was walking on a tight rope and fixing some of these challenges will not be like instant coffee.

According to him the globe will be feeling more pressure in the near future and called on Kenyans to psychologically prepare for more tougher times and embrace new ways of survival.

“Ramping up the whole idea of science and technology, therefore remains very important for us as a country. Research, science, technology and innovation remain to be essential drivers of Kenya’s economic transformation and inclusive growth.”

He said that Kenya was among the leading innovation-driven economies in Africa and the government was committed to enhance funding for research, science and innovation to at least two percent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product to reflect Kenya’s strong and growing foundation for science, technology, research and innovation ecosystem.

He explained that President William Ruto has strategically placed science, technology and innovation at the core of Kenya’s socioeconomic transformation journey by effectively harnessing science, technology and innovation for sustainable development and societal transformation.

The CS said scientific knowledge becomes more useful when it is transferred to communities, markets, industry, policy and the next generation.

“The task before us now is to build upon these possibilities deliberately, decisively and at scale to drive national growth and shared prosperity. It is equally important that we confront the constraints that continue to limit the full realization of our national science, technology and innovation potential as a driver of national development.”

“I am confident that the establishment of the State Department for Science Research and Innovation will help resolve the coordination and governance issues. It will ensure that we collectively drive the changes required so that research informs policy, inventions are translated into market-ready innovations and science delivers measurable economic value in the daily lives of Kenyan citizens,” he added.

The foreign docket chief launched the Masterplan for Research Financing and Capacity Strengthening document, which is supported by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Present were principal secretaries Prof Shaukat Abdulrazak (State Department for Science, Research and Innovation) and Beatrice Inyangala (State Department for Higher Education) among other distinguished scholars, researchers and innovators drawn from various sectors of our economy.