Kenya’s Unfinished Promise: A Compassionate Look at Our Path to Global Greatness

Let’s talk honestly.

Have you ever looked at Singapore and wondered, “How did they do it?”
How did a small island with no natural resources become one of the richest, cleanest, safest, and most efficient nations on earth?

And then you look at Kenya ; vibrant, talented, resource-rich, culturally powerful and you ask quietly:

What happened to us?

It is not a blame game.
It is a conversation.
A necessary one.

First, here is the reality

In 1965, Singapore was struggling. It had:

• High unemployment (over 14%)

• No natural resources

• Limited land

• Ethnic tensions

• Uncertain survival

Today?

• GDP per capita: Over $80,000

• Corruption Index score: Above 80/100

• First, Let’s Be RealConsistently ranked among the Top 5 easiest places to do business

• One of the world’s top financial hubs

Now look at Kenya:

• GDP per capita: Around $2,000

• Corruption perception score: About 30/100

• Youth unemployment estimated between 12–20%

• Public debt nearing 70% of GDP

It hurts, doesn’t it?

Because Kenya is not poor in potential.

Kenya is rich in:

• Agricultural capacity

• Strategic location

• A tech-savvy youth population

• A growing digital economy

• Natural resources

• Entrepreneurial spirit

So why do we still feel stuck?

The Embarrassing Truth We Avoid

Let’s be honest with ourselves.

We normalize corruption.
We excuse tribal politics.
We celebrate mediocrity.
We tolerate inefficiency.
We complain, then move on.

And deep down, we know we deserve better.

Under Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore made some tough choices. Corruption wasn’t negotiated, it was punished. Meritocracy wasn’t optional, it was policy. Long-term national strategy replaced short-term political survival.

And here’s the uncomfortable question:

Are we willing to be that serious?

But Let’s Not Lose Hope

Here’s what makes this conversation powerful:
Kenya already shows signs of greatness.

Think about M-Pesa.
Kenya revolutionized mobile money before many developed countries did.

Think about Nairobi’s tech ecosystem.
“The Silicon Savannah” is not a joke, it’s real.

Think about our athletes, our creatives, our entrepreneurs, our resilience.

We are capable.

We just haven’t aligned capability with discipline.

What If We Chose Differently?

Imagine Kenya in 2045.

• GDP growing consistently at 7–8% annually

• Manufacturing contributing 20% of GDP

• Youth unemployment below 5%

• FDI inflows exceeding $15 billion per year

• Corruption index rising above 70

• Public services fully digitized

Sounds ambitious?

Singapore did it in one generation.

Why not us?

The Disappointment We Feel,And Why It Matters

There’s a special kind of disappointment that comes from unrealized potential.

Not failure.
Not poverty.
But almost.

We are almost there.
Almost industrialized.
Almost efficient.
Almost accountable.
Almost globally competitive.

But almost does not build nations.

Almost does not reduce debt.
Almost does not create jobs.
Almost does not inspire confidence.

That’s why the disappointment matters.
It shows we know we can do better.

The Hard Questions We Must Answer

• Are we building systems, or personalities?

• Are we educating for global competitiveness or just graduation ceremonies?

• Are we investing in productivity or politics?

• Are we serious about governance reform?

• Do we want short-term comfort or long-term greatness?

Singapore didn’t become Singapore because it was lucky.

It became Singapore because it was intentional.

The 3 Shifts Kenya Needs

1.Governance Over Politics

Digitized procurement. Transparent budgeting. Independent oversight.

No exceptions.

2. Industrialization with Focus

Export-led manufacturing. Special Economic Zones. Infrastructure that actually works.

3. Education that Competes Globally

STEM prioritization. Vocational excellence. Teacher accountability. Innovation funding.

Here’s the Inspiring Part

Kenya is not starting from zero.

We are the largest economy in East Africa.
We have one of Africa’s strongest entrepreneurial cultures.
We have a young population  over 75% under 35.

Demographic dividend or demographic disaster?

The choice is ours.

A Gentle but Firm Reality

Singapore had fewer resources.
Kenya has more.

Singapore had less land.
Kenya has fertile land.

Singapore had a smaller population.
Kenya has demographic energy.

So what is the missing ingredient?

Discipline?
National identity?
Policy consistency?
Civic responsibility?

Or courage?

 This Is Not About Copying Singapore

It’s about believing that transformation is possible.

It’s about choosing excellence over excuses.
Systems over slogans.
Long-term strategy over short-term applause.

The rise of Kenya into “the Singapore of Africa” is not a fantasy.

It’s a decision.

And maybe the real question is not:

Can Kenya become Singapore?

Maybe the real question is:

Are we ready to become the best version of ourselves?