The Africa Centre for People Institutions and Society (ACEPIS) is looking for Research Analysts to join our dynamic team in Nairobi. The role is a trainee position with opportunities to learn and contribute to our diverse research stream. Read more about the role and how to apply here.

The government of Kenya continues to grapple with domestic resource mobilisation challenges that have manifested in an increasingly tight fiscal space that limits public expenditure on crucial public goods and services like health, education and social protection among others. This has been attributed to the ensuing public debt sustainability problem and low tax revenue generation in the past.

The National Treasury developed the draft National Tax Policy aimed at realising the country’s dream of having an efficient and fair tax system that promotes equity in tax administration and a predictable tax environment for businesses to operate. The Policy provides policy recommendations to address various challenges currently facing the taxation regime in the country such as hard to tax areas, unpredictability of tax rates, low tax compliance and high tax expenditures.

In compliance with Article 201 of the Constitution, The National Treasury issued a notice to provide comments on the policy prior to finalisation. As such various Civil Society Organisations (ACEPIS included) under the Okoa Uchumi Coalition – an initiative of civil society organisations interested in Kenyan public finance managements issues, submitted an analysis of the draft National tax policy and proposals for improvement of the policy.

The Civil Society review of the draft national Tax policy identified among other issues the following for consideration by the national Treasury and other related MDAs. The issues include: i) There is need for the enactment of the Public Participation Act or for the development of public participation guidelines to enable effective stakeholder engagement as tax issues are cross cutting and are matters of national importance. ii) There is need for developing a feedback mechanism and clarifying who has the role and responsibility to acknowledge and address the feedback. iii) Tax exemptions should not be arbitrary and discretionary as this increases the scope for tax abuse and reduces government revenue. iv) There is need for special VAT rates for special categories of good like LGP, given the ripple effects this has on the economy and the potential to hurt low income earners.

Acepis urges government (National Treasury and KRA) to seriously consider these policy proposals to facilitate inclusion, accountability, equity, and efficiency of the country’s tax regime to promote economic justice.

Find the full submission here: Civil Society Submission on The Kenya Draft National Tax Policy - ACEPIS.

Over the last decade, social media has increasingly been used as a source of information - a mechanism for creating and conveying content online. While this has greatly enhanced access to information and freedom of expression, there has been a dramatic increase in the volume of disinformation and other forms of harmful content. This has been exacerbated by the increased uptake and consumption of content on social media. It is estimated that, in 2021 alone, more than 4.5 billion people globally had access to the internet and used social media to share information. Considering the architecture of the internet and with more than half the global population being active users of the internet, the pace at which information spreads has become increased and audiences widened.

While this ability to share information with ease is a marker of global progress, the world remains exposed to the constant threat of harmful content. The adverse impact of misinformation and disinformation threatens social cohesion and core democratic principles.

Most recently, social media has been an indispensable tool in politics largely used in campaigns. And with unrestricted access and weak or lack of effective regulations of digital technologies, the effects of fake news and harmful online content have been manifested across the world, even in the most advanced democracies. For instance, disinformation and fake news regarding the outcome of the 2020 presidential elections in the United States was alleged to have contributed to the insurrection at Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021. Also, in the United Kingdom, observers have argued that the 2015 Brexit referendum vote was significantly compromised by agents that actively misinformed the British population. Such examples of the harmful effects of fake news and other polarizing information on societal cohesion and democratic principles have been witnessed across the world, including in Indonesia, the Philippines, Colombia, Germany, Italy and Spain, among others.

The African continent, particularly Kenya, is no stranger to the consequences of fake news, hate speech and other harmful content spreading online. The 2007 general elections in Kenya were accompanied by violence fueled by hate speech. In 2017, polarizing information put the country at the brink of violence. Addressing the spread of misinformation and other forms of harmful content in 2017 was more challenging, considering the complexity brought about by the use of social media and the internet to propagate such harmful content. In Kenya today, more people, especially youths, have access to social media and the internet than in 2017. With the general elections just months away, it means that Kenya’s democratic principles are now put under extreme test and threat, granted the feisty nature of the country’s politics.

Considering the realities of online harmful content and the danger it poses for democracy, societal tranquility and sustainability of established norms that bind communities together,  countering fake news and other forms of harmful content shared across both online and offline platforms is now critical. There is a need for concerted efforts by both state and non-state actors to address the threats and harms posed by harmful content. The potential role of social media in peace building and encouraging dialogue needs to emphasized and more focus put into utilizing digital technologies to promote peace narratives.

In contributing to efforts to promote peace and fight fake news in wake of the upcoming 2022 general elections, UNESCO is implementing an EU-funded project on Social Media for Peace in Kenya. Through the project, UNESCO seeks to empower youth in the country to be more resilient to harmful content.

The Africa Centre for People Institutions and Society (Acepis) is working together with UNESCO and the EU in these endeavours. During the months of February and March 2022, Acepis will identify and train at least 300 young people drawn from 47 counties in Kenya on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) and how to use MIL skills to be more discerning creators and consumers of content online. The series of trainings targets to equip youth in Kenya to identify, counter and report online harmful content. This shall be augmented with knowledge brokering sessions where representatives of prominent social media platforms shall engage youths on their Community Guidelines in relation to harmful content.

The training will be complemented by an online awareness-raising campaign that will be run concurrently with the trainings in February and March 2022. The online campaign will target to produce and share messages on how to counter harmful content in Kenya, and promote peace-building narratives on social media. The campaign shall include production of blogs, hosting tweet chats, live video chats and dissemination of short videos on how to counter harmful content online.

The overall objective of these and other similar efforts is to build a society that is resilient and able to diffuse fake news and other forms of harmful content across online and offline platforms, during and beyond the 2022 the electioneering period.

Acepis invites any interested actors that work in this space or share similar mandates for partnerships and collaborative arrangements.

 

Most African countries pride themselves on being free from the shackles of colonialism. However, only a few can demonstrate utility of this freedom, over half a century into self-rule. A glimpse at most African states reveals the sorry state of the social contract, with Kenya as a perfect representation.

History lessons in primary and high school were filled with tales of valiant leaders, freedom fighters and visionaries. The lessons were rich with stories of a promising Republic, where everyone took pride in their identity and swore fidelity to.

Today, much of that pride and loyalty has been eroded. Hope for a brighter future with the colonialists’ exit seems ever so distant. It is easy to tell in the streets, where most walk with sulking shoulders. They are weary of the ever-rising cost of living, ballooning public debt and mental exhaustion from a government that seems determined to cast a deaf ear to the cries of its people.

Sadly, this tale is not even remotely related to failings of democracy. It is more of theatrics and power hunger. If recent happenings are anything to go by, the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel is likely to stay out of sight for the foreseeable future. The people’s purported leaders have turned into their greatest enemies, disguised as friends and tribemates. They are more focused on games of thrones, to the extent of disregarding the rule of law, if only to remain politically potent.

Unfortunately, it is the citizens who pay the price for a leadership more focused on political expediency than catering for their greater good.

While the rule of law takes no sabbatical in a constitutional democracy, the spirit of the Constitution has been constantly eroded. Most interestingly, those at the apex of leadership who, upon assumption of office, stand before the masses on the tallest platforms, swearing to protect and defend the Constitution, have been at the forefront in disregarding the rule of law. What gives these leaders the audacity to boast about being defenders of the constitution, yet fail to comply with countless court orders? How is fidelity to the Constitution demonstrated by adamantly pushing for amendments without adhering to laid down procedures?

Kenyans need to be wary of the path we are treading. Ours is a dispensation of leaders willing to sell their souls for political expediency. They do not mind stooping as low as to propagate an artificial insistence of errors in our guiding principles and class wars.

This unprincipled leadership has seen Parliament – a powerful institution with a representative mandate to address the electorate’s needs and grievances through progressive legislation – ignore it. Instead, the institution is constantly plagued with allegations of bribery to pass legislation that makes life even harder for those they represent. Traces of Executive influence over critical legislative decisions are all over the institution, bringing to question its legitimacy and independence. With a Legislature that cannot exercise impartiality and sound judgment on decisions impacting the future of our nation, what justifies their continued occupancy in the House?

The rot extends throughout the entire Executive. For close to a decade, Kenyans have been subjected to an overbearing Executive that bulldozes its ambitions, with little regard to citizens’ pleas. It is not shy of overstepping its mandate and disregarding boundaries delineating the three arms of government. Even more worrying is the rot that characterizes this arm of government. State ministries, departments and agencies are not strangers to allegations of graft and misappropriation of funds. Every year, the Auditor General’s reports reveal the ever-so rotten systems hijacked by unknown cartels plundering public funds. While you would expect necessary measures to be taken to stop the bleeding and subject perpetrators to the full force of the law, the Executive does little more than issuing threats, warnings and establishing inquiries.

In 2020, reports emerged of ‘Covid Billionaires’, who took advantage of the pandemic to enrich themselves at the expense of citizens and health workers at the epicenter of the shock. The lack of transparency that cuts across ministries and departments is a plague that has been normalized. With Parliament, the institution charged with oversight crippled with the very ailment crippling the Executive, who will step up and stop the bleeding before the country withers away?

Beyond the runaway corruption, have been the Executive’s attempts to undermine the spirit of the Constitution. There have been constant disobedience of court orders and continued attempts to bypass legal processes to amend the Constitution. Neither is the Judiciary a stranger to allegations of corruption and bias.

In the words of Edward Abbey: “Power is always dangerous. Power attracts the worst and corrupts the best.” Kenyan leaders offer the best demonstration of how power corrupts unprincipled characters. Across levels of the government, state officials have demonstrated time and again that they could leverage any opportunity at their disposal to do what serves individual interests rather than act in the common good.

The result is what we see today; a Legislature that has failed to play its oversight role, an overbearing Executive that does not respect the rule of law, and a crippled Judiciary that delays in delivering justice.

Now aware of imminent elections, the political elite has begun its false rhetoric. In big political gatherings, they are unleashing utopian ideologies and promises of a ‘New Kenya’. They conveniently forget their ills and failures, turning into self-proclaimed messiahs promising to lead the country to the land of milk and honey.

Our leaders should remember that Kenyans do not need additional posts in Parliament to feel adequately represented. All they ask for is for leaders to exercise sobriety in executing their mandate, to demonstrate fidelity to the Constitution and make conscious decisions across various tiers of government that accurately represent and address immediate and future needs of the electorate. This demands independence of the three institutions of government, and respect for boundaries distinguishing them, as set by the Constitution, while recognizing their interdependence. It demands that our leaders do what is meaningful, rather than expedient.

Kenyans too, need to be ever so cautious. We must not be swayed by euphoric declarations by our cunning politicians. Now, more than ever, we must exercise sound judgment and look beyond tribal lines and imaginary class wars. If the bleeding of our democracy is to stop, citizens have to be alive to the fact that the power of the Constitution rests with them. They must begin to demand accountability from elected leaders and look beyond euphoric chants that only serve to blind them from the catastrophic streak of failures.

Moving forward, citizens must begin to judge their leaders based on policies implemented and how best they have guarded the power bestowed on them. Our democracy is now mature enough to look beyond the number of tarmacked roads and appearances at village harambees.

If we have learned anything since independence, and, even more painfully, over the last decade, it is that even the tallest skyscrapers and thickest concrete jungle and grandest infrastructure project cannot save a business choking from a futile business environment with punitive tax regime. Only progressive and responsive policies constitute the desirable metric to judge performance of our leaders.

 

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought significant challenges to public forums, especially those of a political or civic kind.

Given that public health considerations take precedence over social engagements, conventional forms of engagements have been crippled or rendered rudderless. Politicians, particularly, have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, necessitating a complete change in their public engagements. Except for isolated cases reeking of selfish defiance, restrictions to curb the spread of the virus have made it impossible to hold political gatherings, as was previously the norm. Consequently, some overly vocal figures on the political scene have gone unnoticeable for months.

Attempts to restructure some predominant physical engagements to adapt to reality of the pandemic have so far fallen short of expectation. Further, in countries like the United States, defiance and denial of the magnitude and seriousness of the pandemic has come with irreversible consequences, as evident from the high number of infections and deaths.

Notably, politicians and other public figures have recognised the power of digital platforms as an alternative means of engaging with the masses. In recent days, political activity on social networks has grown exponentially. Discussions on social networking sites have led to youth engaging more on political issues. According to UNICEF, youth today use digital platforms to establish their civic identities and declare political stances. Through these modes, youth can now voice concerns and table their agenda, unlike in the past where they remained marginalised.

Recent happenings globally prove that the digital world is equally, if not more, powerful. The world witnessed Black Lives Matter protests accelerate from the epicentre in Minnesota throughout the United States and across the vast Pacific and Atlantic oceans to Australia and the United Kingdom. This was one of the greatest testaments of the power of digital platforms.

Similar occurrences have also been witnessed in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, the rise of ‘People Power’ has been largely attributable to social media activism by Robert Kyagulanyi – Bobi Wine – who has stood firmly against oppression by the current regime. Not to forget embers of the Arab Spring that were blown into a raging inferno online.

From these, it is evident that the world’s interconnectedness, thanks to the digital revolution has made it easier for humans to form communities, uniting strangers around a common cause, ideal, or belief. In a world where even those who reside in remote places can access the internet, it only takes a post on Facebook, a hashtag, or a branded social media avatar to stir a revolution.

With the Covid-19 restrictions, there has been a meteoric rise in creation and sharing of digital content, to cater for grounded audiences. Zoom meetings and webinars have become the norm, especially for leaders striving to sustain their potency. However, there is a striking contrast in the nature of engagement on digital platforms compared to what is typical of political rallies and gatherings. Given discussions online are topical, leaders have to demonstrate ability to articulate their ideas clearly and defend their ideals in a manner that resonates with citizens if they are to be granted an audience. The mass hysteria characteristic of political rallies and other traditional forms of engagement that politicians often ride on, no longer exists. Citizens are also forced to be more critical of information shared by leaders.

Amplification of digital civic engagement is a premonition of things to come. While traditional, in-person forms of civic engagement cannot be completely eradicated, time is ripe to fully go digital and strengthen frameworks that facilitate the same. A critical element remains improving access to quality and reliable information which the nature and quality of online discussions are dependent on. Over the years, Kenya has made significant strides in enhancing access to public information, a right prescribed and guaranteed in the Constitution. However, existing frameworks remain weak, as critical information regarding public debt, tendering processes, procurement and budget remains difficult to access.

The desired success can only be attained through inter-ministerial synergies to ensure established frameworks are firm, functional and incorruptible. Success is also predicated in enhancing digital infrastructure, granting those in rural and marginalized areas a unique focus to ensure their voices and concerns are sufficiently represented.

It is also important to pay attention to deterring rampant sharing of fake news and disinformation through digital platforms. While online platforms provide avenues for reaching wide segments of the population, it also makes it easier to share fake news and misinform the public, thus shadowing and diluting quality of online engagements. To counter such, it is also important that efforts be channeled towards equipping citizens, particularly the youth, with media and information literacy skills to increase their capacity to create, consume, critique and disseminate online information. One such initiative is the recent Media and Information Literacy training by the Africa Center for People Institutions and Society supported by UNESCO.

Considering the increasing cases of cyber-bullying, it is also important to have candid conversations regarding how best to put together safeguards, in  the form of law or policy. This will ensure digital safety for billions of users across the world, especially young people.

Digital civic engagement is gaining traction and will outlast the Covid-19 era. This ushers in a new era that promotes inclusion of youth and other groups that have traditionally been excluded and unheard in decision-making processes. It is an era where every member of the society has equal opportunity to establish their civic identities, elevating them to a better position to be diligent and active in performing their civic duties.

Overall, investment in strengthening digital civic engagement mechanism is in a worthwhile endeavor that must be encouraged if we are to foster responsible citizenry moving forward, post-Covid pandemic.

Suspension of the 2020 school calendar, by the Ministry of Education as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, has elicited mixed reactions.

For students, particularly those preparing for national examinations, it is a bitter pill to swallow. It is equally unpleasant for, businesses and workers relying on the education ecosystem for their livelihoods.

However, it has a silver lining too. In it, the Ministry of Education has a rare opportunity to address ills that have, for long, crippled Kenya’s education sector. Introduction of free primary and secondary education, while realizing higher enrollment and transition rates in schools, came at a cost. It exerted pressure on already overstretched school infrastructure and diluted the quality of education in  the country.

Despite reports from media and other institutions highlighting the dire need for government to address existing capacity, infrastructural and funding limitations in  the education sector, not much has been done in that regard. Students still have to contend with the uninspiring state of schools, with those based in rural areas most affected.

Further, politicization of education in the country has made the situation worse. Critics have questioned government priorities with projects such as the Digital Literacy Programme (also known as ‘One Laptop per Child’ project) for Grade 1 kids being ranked ahead of improving infrastructure in schools. Most students in the country are yet to draw any tangible utility from the project. Also the introduction of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) remains an issue of contention in the sector.

Righting the wrongs

The suspension of the school calendar as a measure to contain the spread of Coronavirus, presents an opportunity for the government to harmonize the education system. It also affords a chance to relook priorities and address gaps ailing the sector in preparation for the resumption of studies in 2021.

In the National Budget for the Financial Year 2020/21, the education sector was allocated over Ksh.500 billion. These resources – especially those earmarked for spending over the next 6 months – can be efficiently allocated to  include improving basic school infrastructure. This will ensure that when learning resumes, students have decent classrooms, sufficient facilities and enough teachers to facilitate their studies.

Part of the government’s Eight-Point Economic Stimulus Package in response to COVID-19 involves improving education outcomes by recruiting 10,000 teacher interns, constructing and rehabilitating classrooms and hiring ICT interns to facilitate digital learning in schools. Whereas these are welcome moves, some argue that allocated resources are not proportionate to the magnitude of existing gaps. That is why the education sector must focus on proper prioritization and utilization of current allocations to ensure enough cents are spent on addressing the most pressing issues.

This also the time for the ministry to engage with other stakeholders in the education sector to iron out contentious issues. In recent days, lack of synergy between the government and the other stakeholders in the education sector has been pronounced, particularly with the launch of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Some stakeholders in the education sector, particularly from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), have argued against the government implementing the programme. They insist that there is insufficient capacity to implement the new curriculum effectively. Pundits have also criticized the government for implementing the new curriculum without research-based evidence to demonstrate its effectiveness, with the current state of the education sector in the country.

The break offers a chance of the government to iron out these contentious issues by actively engaging with various stakeholders and addressing their concerns. With the government’s bet on the CBC curriculum to transform the education sector, ironing out contentious issues and strengthening the foundation and design of the curriculum will enhance chances of success.

Parents also have a role to play

For parents, whose livelihoods have been affected by the pandemic, suspension of the 2020 school calendar is a godsend. It presents an opportunity to reorganize their resources for the 2021 school calendar.

With the burden of school fees off their shoulders for this period, these resources can be channeled towards food and healthcare of their children, and other essentials. Further, the reopening of the economy allows them to invest in business ventures and save for their children’s education come next year.

The flip side

While the break allows government and parents to relook their strategies, the decision is also costly for private schools and other auxiliary personnel whose livelihoods are anchored around the education ecosystem. Unlike public schools where teachers are guaranteed their salaries, at least for the foreseeable future, in private schools, salaries are dependent on school fees. The same goes for drivers, cleaning staff and food suppliers, among others whose products and services have no offtaker.

The government needs to step in to provide necessary safeguards and to cushion private sector players in the education sector to protect jobs and  livelihoods of workers during these  hard economic times they have to withstand until learning resumes. This could be fashioned along the lines of the lifeline fund the government offered operators in the tourism industry to buoy hotels and restaurants. This will help public and private schools to weather through this period.

The onus is on the leadership of the education sector to exercise leadership and grab this opportunity to do the right thing.

The least students deserve are decent classrooms, sufficient desks and books, enough well-trained teachers and a curriculum that guarantees them a decent education.

***

This article was first published on The Standard on Wednesday 22nd July 2020

Crisis has a way of stripping people naked to reveal the size of their cojones. It trumps lies, pretense and all manner of mediocrity in people, especially leaders.

Recently, a sense of bewilderment gripped the world when the US President, on live television, suggested that injection of disinfectant be used to treat COVID-19. While he later, in his clinical fashion, changed the narrative claiming he was only being sarcastic, the harrowing reality of emptiness and lack of leadership where it is most expected was evident for everyone to see.

Unsurprisingly, many leaders across the world have been rather underwhelming in their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just a handful of leaders in a few countries - like New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Taiwan - have shown leadership worth emulating.

In Africa, countries like South Africa, Uganda and Rwanda have ramped up testing to quickly identify and isolate Corona virus cases and trace contacts. However, in other countries like Tanzania, basic measures such as providing social distancing guidelines are yet to be enforced.

Other countries have leaders who prefer looking like they are leading instead of actually leading. In Kenya, several politicians spent money on branding donated facemasks and hand sanitizers instead of investing in more sanitizers, personal protective equipment and financing the health system. Some section of religious leaders even moved to court to oppose government’s ban on church gatherings, completely oblivious of the risk that this could amplify the spread of the virus.

The Power of Truth

Leadership at this moment of crisis means being a champion for truth. This is evident from Angela Merkel who has been honest and open with her citizens on the status of the pandemic. It is by being truthful that the true extent of disease can be established and mitigation measures set up.

From the U.S to the U.K, China and across Africa, those charged with speaking truth to power have deliberately chosen to do the very opposite. Reports of leaders disregarding expert advice and silencing those who attempt to speak up against governments’ actions or inaction are scattered all over. Some have even gone as far as openly castigating the media for seeking answers when in real sense they are avoiding accountability.

It is during such times that leaders – especially those in government – should remember and be guided by the words of John F. Kennedy: “Without debate, without criticism, no administration and no country can succeed. That is why our press was protected…to inform, arouse, reflect, to state our dangers…to indicate our crises and our choices, to lead, mould, educate and sometimes even anger public opinion.”

Decisiveness in dealing with the pandemic

One of the hallmarks of great leadership is being able to make decisive and effective decisions when everyone is looking up to you. As early as January, Taiwan had established 124 measures against COVID-19 when the first hint of the virus was detected. In New Zealand, it did not take long for the Prime Minister to implement a countrywide lock down and enhance alertness. In Uganda, the county was swift to seal off all entry points, while ramping up testing. Whereas the viciousness of the virus was already evident, some countries have not been as effective in their response strategies.

Up to now, some countries, especially in Africa, are yet to set up guidelines for combating the disease. In others, like Kenya, where a dusk-to-dawn curfew is in place, it is difficult to judge effectiveness of the same, given the manner in which security officers are implementing government directives. Further, there have been reports and widespread concern regarding status of the quarantine facilities. If images shared are anything to go by, these quarantine centers that are to serve as containment centers for the virus are slowly morphing into incubation centers for the same.

Decisiveness in leadership in the era of COVID-19 also means being meticulous and strategic with containment measures. It calls for leadership to be innovative and cognizant of realities of the contexts within which they operate. No wonder, many African leaders have been criticized for ‘copying and pasting’ intervention measures applied in other countries without assessing their fitness to the unique situations in their countries.

A time for compassion and love

This is the time for leaders across the board to exercise love and compassion for the people they represent. This is the time for elected officials to show that they are pro-people and demonstrate that they are in touch with lives of the citizenry. This is the time for healthcare workers to be provided with the entire arsenal they need for this humongous fight.

Commendable efforts have been seen world over where individuals and corporations have stepped in to bridge gaps by providing crucial Personal Protective Equipment for frontline healthcare workers as well as food and sanitation products to the less fortunate. Some religious leaders, beyond their spiritual support, have stepped in to provide economic and psychological support to those who need it. We have seen individuals spending their time and resources to help sensitize communities in their local languages on importance of social distancing and maintaining high levels of hygiene. Such is the motif of pride and leadership to be emulated.

Early in the 20^th century, it took 36 months for the world to manage the Spanish Flu. While we are faced with an almost similar pandemic, the world today – unlike in the 20^th century – is better placed to fight this war. We are more advanced technologically and intellectually, putting us at a better position to understand the enemy and fight it effectively.

While we have the resources, proper leadership will catalyze effectiveness of the fight and push us close to victory. The world needs leaders who communicate effectively and not be “sarcastic”. It needs leaders to collaborate with everyone in the community, take decisive action and be intentional about finding solutions that will help us fight this war.

Leadership in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic is not about being an authoritarian. It is about being bold enough to speak truth to power, making truth powerful and making power truthful. It is about setting aside selfish ambitions and marshaling resources– including knowledge, expertise, human resources, money and political capital to fight as one army.

There exist numerous advocacy campaigns promoting gender equality and fairness to allow women to have equal opportunities in getting wage and salaried jobs. Following the recently celebrated International Women’s Day, we reflect on where the East African region stands with regard to the proportion of women in wage and salaried work, and the opportunities to explore in order to bridge the gap.

Also Read: In East Africa, Women Still Lag Behind in Labor Force Participation

Wage and salaried jobs provide a stable and reliable source of income hence, in most instances, they are dependable for the economic development of individuals and households. In this section, we compare the proportion of women in wage and salaried jobs, compared to women. Similar to the Labor Force Participation Rate, women make up the minority of wage and salaried workers in the region. It is notable that almost across all the countries in East Africa, the % of males in paid employment jobs almost doubles that of females. This is illustrated in the chart below.

There was an issue displaying the chart. Please edit the chart in the admin area for more details.

Data Source: World Bank/World Development Indicators

Data released by LinkedIn reveals the fact that, globally, while women stand a higher chance of being employed by up to 16% compared to men, they are 16% less likely to apply for a job they are qualified for, despite them viewing the same number of jobs as men.^[1] They are also less likely to ask for a referral for a job compared to men. This one of the factors that help explain the low percentage of women in salaried work. Instability in some countries, weak economies, retrogressive cultures that are pro-patriarchy and general lack of effective and progressive policies that ensure equal representation of women in the workplace are other underlying factors that discourage or hinder women from joining the wage and salaried workforce.

Also Read: More needs to be done to empower women!

To address these disparities, there is a need for further empowerment of females to ensure that they gain access to quality education, which puts them at a better place to compete for opportunities of employment. Additionally, there is a need for corporations and the government to establish policies that ensure women receive equal working opportunities, fair pay and opportunity for career growth, as men.

[1] https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/recruiting-tips/gender-balance-report#

With the world rallying behind the #EachforEqual campaign during the International Women’s Day, 2020, we reflect on the contribution of women in East Africa to the region’s labor market, and how to address the existing challenges that limit their participation in the region’s labor force.

Also Read: The Gender Imbalance in East Africa’s Wage and Salaried Workforce

Female Labor Force participation is crucial for the attainment of the economic development objectives of the East African region. However, it is notable that despite the population of males and females being relatively equal in the region, female participation in the labor force compared to males is relatively low as illustrated in the figure below. This points to the existence of various underlying factors that limit the accessibility and contribution of women in the region's labor force.

There was an issue displaying the chart. Please edit the chart in the admin area for more details.

Data Source: World Bank/World Development Indicators

While there are many other factors that limit female participation in the region’s economy, their level of education, fertility rate and social norms and traditions are the main contextual issues that limit their participation in economic development. These factors, notwithstanding, women spend more hours in a day – up to 6 hours – on unpaid care work. If taken into account, women work up to 2.6 extra hours compared to men if the paid and unpaid work are summed.

This points to a need for the establishment of laws and policies that protect the interests of women and levels the playing field for women to get more opportunities in the labor force and for the overall pursuit of economic justice. These structural and policy reforms should aim to address the challenges females face and to maximize their economic potential. Given the importance of unpaid care, it is important for men to take up an active role in supporting women with care work.

Also Read: More needs to be done to empower women!

Such works are closely related to the wellbeing and economic output of those in the active labor force. Additionally, there is a need to factor in unpaid care work in calculating economic output measures such as GDP, given it affects other market factors like the health of the workforce, security, and stability. The private sector and the public should, also, be sensitized to recognize the importance of unpaid care work. Corporates should acknowledge the role women play in unpaid care work and adopt responsive policies and labor and time-saving technologies to improve women’s participation in the region’s labor force.

Countries need healthy populations to develop. But for a long time, the African tale has been one of expectant mothers dying because they reside miles away from the nearest health facility. Stories of children dying even after they get to health facilities due to the unavailability of drugs or few medical professionals to attend to so many of them. Even those residing in urban centers – especially those living in informal settlements – still have it rough. Public health facilities are often overcrowded and poorly equipped with resources to cater to the growing demands for health services.

Reaching these populations with health services by the year 2030 is one of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Among the goals is one that aims to eradicate malaria, tuberculosis, and AIDS, among other diseases. Another one targets ending child mortality. The magnitude of these ambitions calls for serious interventions and commitment from both political and industry leaders globally.

Of all the regions of the world, it is perhaps Sub-Saharan Africa where the pursuit of these ambitions should be most fervent. Alongside the mega infrastructure projects, health should be among top priorities considering the poor performance in many global health indicators.

Africa, home to 16% of the global population, bears 23% of the global disease burden according to the Global Health Data Exchange. A staggering 68% of HIV/AIDs victims being from Africa. These grim statistics depict the urgency and seriousness with which African governments and players in the health sector need to address the growing health gaps.

An Underfunded health sector in Africa

Yet the region continues to invest dismally in its health. In 2015, Africa’s expenditure on health accounted for just 1% of the total global expenditure (Compared to 10% for the rest of the world) in per capita terms. This means that, for African countries to at least measure up to the rest of the world, investment in the health sector has to increase tenfold. Targets will go even higher, considering that the world needs an excess of $370 billion to attain the health SDG targets.

Realization of the prevailing health crisis and the need to achieve Universal Health Care in Africa happened years ago resulting in the Abuja Declaration (2001). African governments committed to spending at least 15% of their annual national budgets on improving the health sector. Close to two decades later, only a handful of countries have achieved this target – Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Niger, Zambia, Botswana, and Malawi. To be more vivid, in more than 60% of the countries in Africa, the proportion of the health budget to the national budget falls below 10%. Kenya’s health budget, for instance, has averaged only about 8.5% of the national budget over the last five financial years.

This points to under prioritization of the health sector in Sub-Sahara African counties and an indictment on the focus and priorities of African leaders.

Out of Pocket Expenditures and Donor Funding

While the growth in GDP of most African countries has resulted in increased health budgets over the years, out-of-pocket expenditures and donor funding continue to account for the bigger portion of health expenditure in Sub Saharan Africa. Governments contribute only 44% of health expenditures in the region. Out-of-pocket expenditure account for 37% with donors covering the remaining 19%.

This spending weighs heavily on the pockets of Africans, considering Africa’s high poverty index (41%). A significant proportion of the African population – up to 38% - either delay or forgo getting health care services due to their unaffordability. The under-equipment of health facilities in the region makes things worse. Donor funding also remains limited, intermittent and increasingly delivered based on economic development priorities of donor countries rather than established needs in recipient countries.

Reshaping the narrative

To achieve universal healthcare coverage, Africa needs to significantly increase spending on health care service delivery beyond the 15% commitment made during the Abuja declaration. Beyond that, all the stakeholders in Africa’s health sector need to find localized solutions to address the unique needs of particular regions.

The beautiful thing is that the process has already started. Rwanda, for instance, has been implementing the use of drones for the delivery of medical supplies. Since its inception in 2016, the project has undergone changes and improvements for increased efficiency. Ghana is also replicating this technology.

In Kenya, Camel Clinics are used to make medical care accessible to Samburu – a significantly underdeveloped area. In Turkana, motorbike ambulances have brought hope for residents. They make it possible for health personnel to access people in the remotest corners of this underdeveloped county. The same concept is being implemented in Tana River County and rural areas in western Uganda.

In Malawi, e-innovation healthcare service delivery has proved effective in ensuring people in rural areas access medical services. They only need a mobile phone that can send and receive messages. Through it, they get reminders when to take their medication or connect to health care providers.

Also Read: Out of school, out of jobs: The puzzle of youth unemployment!

These localized solutions help address the dynamic and unique healthcare needs of the African population. If scaled up, they will help improve accessibility and efficiency in Africa’s health care system.

Africa governments must now rise to the occasion and be at the forefront in enhancing these solutions by putting the money where it is needed most. That translates to re-evaluating the region’s health financing strategy and increasing health sector funding. Beyond prioritizing health care and having an effective health financing strategy, stringent measures should be put in place to ensure the effective utilization of resources channeled to the health sector.

The continent’s health sector lags far compared to the standards set by the rest of the world. Moving forward, beyond measuring up to other continents, Africa needs to be bold and committed to attaining the best possible health standards. It is only through that path that it will be able to reshape its health narrative and be better prepared to handle the ever-growing demand for quality health services in the region.