Capacities and governance in Kenya: lessons in technology transfer

By

Otto J. Kroesen

David J. Ndegwah

1

The predicament of Africa

Western vices:

• Heritage of colonialism and Cold War

• Little interest beyond mineral resources

• Neoliberal politics – level playing field between unequal forces

• “Big Plans” (Easterly) and no accountability to the target group

• NGOs competing and refusing to specialize

• Political correctness because of guilt feelings

2

The predicament of Africa

African vices:

• Collectivist entities without cooperation

• Traditionalism and particularism (relationships)

• Patrimonialism, patronage

• Lack of initiative and entrepreneurship (voluntarism), instead uncertainty avoidance (new is bad)

• Lack of “rule of law”, universalism, transparency, checks and balances on government

• No open civil society, no free association and regrouping, selective trust instead

3

A case of solid waste

• Nairobi City Council (NCC) not enough equipment.

• Fragmented regulation and no (or arbitrary) regulation enforcement.

• Some areas served too much, some areas not at all.

• Decisions of NCC without consultation.

• No cooperation between companies.

4

A case of solid waste

• Insufficient organization

• Pay delay

• Harassment by NCC

• High costs of licenses

• Poor equipment, no protective gear

• Vandalism

• Unreliable spare parts (secondhand tires)

5

The predicament of Africa

African vices:

• Collectivist entities without cooperation

• Traditionalism and particularism (relationships)

• Patrimonialism, patronage

• Lack of initiative and entrepreneurship (voluntarism), instead uncertainty avoidance (new is bad)

• Lack of “rule of law”, universalism, transparency, checks and balances on government

• No open civil society, no free association and regrouping, selective trust instead

6

Transition in values, conditional for economic capacity

Africa appears to be caught up between two competing sets of cultural values and institutions:

• A set of small-scale oriented values and institutions derived from its tribal and collectivist past, which do not function anymore in a time, where large-scale politics and technology creates one system of socio-economic interaction;

• A set of large-scale civil society oriented values and institutions, like free association of individuals, universalistic rule of law, checks and balances on governance, an entrepreneurial spirit etc., which is not fully functioning yet.

7

Challenges, the way ahead

• Integrate technology and policy transfer into a strategy for cultural transition.

• Creative combination of old and new values and policy approaches.

• Conscious cultural transition from a tribal/hierarchical clientelistic society, with selective trust towards a stable government and a strong and open civil society.

• Pluralistic cooperation, and competition of many stakeholders; based on anonymous trust and judicial checks and balances.

• Cultural transition should be explicitly part of the development agenda, and be conducted in a path dependent way: preserving valuable parts from the past, but courageously entering upon a new socio-political and economic dispensation.

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Questions?