Kenya can become a First World

eCentury Editorial
Welcome to the maiden edition of The eCentury . We are a trendsetter, a paper anchored on a vision to promote new ideas and better options. We envision to transform print media into a people driven process. Our focus is to be unique, innovative and empowering. Our calling is to shift attention to institutions, individuals and ideas which seek to energize every Kenyan to create wealth and unleash their creative brainpower. Kenya is said to be the third most unequal nation in the world. The traditional media has for decades focused on conflicts which spur their circulation. It has widened ethnic divide and political differences. We shall strive to change all that. It is an awesome task.

The 21st Century is a paradigm-shifting epoch in human history. Globalization is the trend; the internet is the heart beat. This is a century of great and fundamental changes. The world is shifting from industrial age to information. There is a shift to knowledge economy where ideas will be what the land and rain is to the farmer. Hence brainpower is the centrepiece of this century. We shall therefore become a springboard of new ideas and new trends in Kenya, Africa and the World.

We shall thus call on Kenyans and Africans in general to arise. We must get rid of petty differences for the common good of the nation. All the 42 communities should embrace each other. Every Kenyan should dream dreams of prosperity and move away from hopelessness and dependency syndrome. It is time we redefine our world. It is time we innovate, invent and recreate our nation afresh.

The days of IDPs, tribal wars, grand corruption, mediocrity and politics of bribery and deception should come to an abrupt end. It is time we become builders of business empires, great institutions and great organizations. It is time we believe in our God-given talents, resources and creativity.

The fact that Barack Obama, a first generation American-Kenyan is the president of a super
power is a proof that we as a people and as a race have what it takes to transform our nation, our economy and our history.

We should focus our attention on excellence of global and international standards. We should stop comparing ourselves to failed states. We should dare compare ourselves to European and American standards and beyond. That is what Singaporeans under Lee Kuan did. They rejected mediocrity and corruption which characterized the nations of Asia. Lee Kuan became the PM of Singapore in 1965, then with a per-capita of $400. He retired in 1990 when per-capita income was $12,000. Nine years into retirement Singapore clocked over $20,000 to be exact $24,500 in 2004.

Was this a miracle from heaven? No they set themselves to achieve it. Today Singapore Port is the leading and the best run port in the world. Singapore is the financial centre of Asia and the world. This did not come from the blues. They outlawed corruption and embraced intellectual capital. The youth of Singapore are the best in Maths and the Sciences in the world. They lead the whole globe in academic scores. Are they more endowed than us? No. They as a nation decided and made their minds to be the best they can be. We too can attain that. Singapore aspires to be an intelligent nation by 2015 and India an industrial nation by 2020. Singapore became a first world by 1998. Within 30 years they achieved what no other third country has achieved.

If we follow the footsteps of Singapore by 2050 we shall become a first world.
Is this possible?

Yes! We have more potential brains than Singapore. We have over 40million people while Singapore mere 4 million. We have nearly 600,000 sq.km area of land as Singapore is mere 640 sq.km.

The eCENTURY we believe, is a paper whose time is now. We strive to become a paper of the 21st Century.