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the blessed curse


 OIL -  THE BLESSED CURSE

 

The prospects of oil being discovered in Kenya were a termed as a blessing to the nation but do many of the citizens know of the dynamics of a country being an oil producing nation? It’s one of the most precious minerals in the world leading to growth and prosperity of major economies of the world. European nations have developed enormous economies due to exploitation of oil in someof the Asian and African nations, Whereas these European nations are prospering, the oil producing nations of Asia and Africa have been marred by either a failed government, civil war, stagnant economies or all. Hopefully Kenya will soon be a major producer of oil and it will face the test of time to the curse associated with producing oil in Africa.

 

Oil is a fundamental asset in boosting economic growth of any country. Commercial exploitation of this commodity will not only earn substantial amounts of revenue to the country but will also cause a reduction in the cost of living to the many poor citizens. This discovery is a ray of hope to many Kenyans as economic analysts have projected numerous jobs for the jobless and better living conditions. This oil if harnessed well, will greatly spur economic development.

 

However, pondering the situation in oil producing nations for instance South Sudan which has been trapped in resource based conflicts; strategies need to be crafted to mitigate similar scenarios. The government should strive to ensure that this discovery will bring blessings not curses to our beloved country. Crafting laws to manage this resource should be a priority especially in the northern region of the Country where conflicts take splits-seconds to erupt. Therefore, the government and companies involved should ensure the communities are direct beneficiaries of this resource.

 

The nation should avoid the economic consequence that brings about an economy dependent only on oil neglecting other sectors like agriculture and tourism. The revenue coming from oil should be used to strengthen and diversify the existing sectors of the economy.

 

 The citizens should appreciate that the country is engraved in rampant corruption. This discovery should not aggravate corruption but should be a tool to help the government curb it, at the same time ensuring no one uses this resource to divide the people.

 

Therefore, the priority should not just center on exploitation and mining of this essential mineral but establishing necessary platforms to ensure multiple, equitable and sustainable benefits to the society, right from the grassroots,

All the way up to the national government. We are all hopeful that the new constitution and the devolved governments have come at the right moment to help us manage this resource. Let’s keep our hope high as Kenyans and believing that our our oil will not be a curse but a blessing to us.

 

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