Edwin Dande: Stop Whining, KFC Is Not The Problem

Random thoughts on KFC: Punguza pang’ang’a… go buy potatoes from your village, cook fries at home and leave KFC alone.

And even if you boycott KFC, where will you go? Kukitos, Java, Burger King? All are in the same WhatsApp group, they serve foreign commercial interests first.

The Point Is, KFC and the many other foreign firms are not the problem, after all Kenya is a free market economy. We Kenyans are the problem. Failure in trade policies. Failure to nurture export oriented industry. Failure to nurture local industries and firms. Failure of capital markets. A few examples:

1. What was a locally owned Mimosa Pharmacy is now foreign owned Goodlife Pharmacy

2. Kenchic locations quickly turning into foreign owned Kukito locations

3. We enjoy foreign owned Java House

4. We fuel at Shell, Total and Rubis, because our oh so National Oil Corporation stations look like dumpsters

5. Capital Markets Authority celebrates via a press release… EABL bond oversubscribed! yet 75% of the profits and dividends will be repatriated, in dollars, to foreign owners like Diageo… no wonder the only direction for the shilling is southwards; But locally owned Keroche can’t raise capital.

6. We killed Mumias and Sony, now we import sugar in bulk and repackage for sale.

You get the drift?

KFC is not the problem, stop being sensational. We are the problem. Let’s fix our broken system, our trade policies and our capital markets and enable local entrepreneurs to raise money, grow companies and to compete with foreign brands.

And potato farmers, organize yourself into a trade association, lobby government and negotiate with KFC and others. Stop whining and do something… KFC and the world owes you nothing, at all. The problem is always staring at you in the mirror!

As for KFC, not to worry, in two days we shall move on to new drama… that’s how we are, pang’ang’a tu.

Edwin Dande is the CEO of Cytonn

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