"No one man should have all that power" - Kanye West
I was reminded of this song earlier today when I woke up to the news of yet another increase in the cost of electricity in Kenya. It has gone up to Kshs 8 per unit and reasons given are basically the weakening of the shilling which has driven petroleum costs up and the drought that saw shortage in electricity supply. I've b****ed about a lot of stuff, but this move by the power regulators will certainly take the cake. Why?
Electricity forms part of the basic basket for not only households but manufacturers. Unlike sugar and flour, this kind of increase affects ALL commodities. A rise in input costs certainly translates to an equal if not higher increase in that of the output...in Kenya anyway. All costs will be passed onto the consumers, as explicitly announced by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers last week. Which means that your current household budget -after weeks of adjusting- is STILL inadequate.
Due to over-reliance on hydroelectricity and diesel run generators, the energy sector is now looking into investing in wind, thermal and nuclear energy to meet consumer demand. What I don't understand is why they're not considering solar power...and why the hell nuclear energy is even on the list. Kenya lies along the equator hence receives sunlight for the most of the year. Solar panels are therefore our best fit. Greece manufactures them in the thousands of products. Given their current crisis, I'd say we have more bargaining power and could buy from them at a cheaper price. The EU is currently being wooed into investing in Greece's energy sector since it faces over 300 days of sunlight in a year...yet they ain't even along the equator like us!!
Fellow Kenyans, let us invest in solar panels now and take some weight off Kenya Power's shoulder.God knows we can't stand inefficiency coupled with increased charges.
Monday, 19 September 2011
Monday, 12 September 2011
Patriotism I
I love my country, love iiiit, love iiiiiiiiiit! There's many things I believe can be done better to improve our status and decrease our annual losses. I'd do anything to save my country provided it's within reason.
Sugar has been the cream of most conversations in Kenya for the past month, and for good reason. 1kg of sugar goes for between Kshs. 200 - 220 ($2.00 - $2.40) up from Kshs.75 in January. Reasons given by millers range from shortage in sugar cane supply to increased pay to farmers. As part of the consumer basket, it has obviously decreased disposable income for most households. Whereas a 2kg pack had a budget of Kshs. 150, we now have to spend between Kshs. 400 - 450 (roughly a 3-fold increase). All this I attribute to lack of accountability. Lemmi explain;
The Kenyan government owns 5 sugar mills of which 4 are producing below half their capacity. These very mills have a debt of Kshs. 50 billion which is yet to be cleared since 2007 when protection for the local industry was given via a COMESA agreement. Of all the mills in Kenya -8 in total if I'm not mistaken- Mumias Sugar Company is the most efficient but still produces way below its capacity. Kenya in total requires about 12 factories with a total labor force of about 40000+ to meet its current sugar demand. We've had close to 5 years to improve our milling technology such that more sugar can be produced from one tonne of sugar cane. This change is yet to be seen, and I'm surprised there's been no media coverage or follow-up on whether the millers have been keeping to the COMESA agreement. 5 years down the line and little to no change has occurred. Our sugar millers also rely heavily on farmers to supply their raw materials. I really don't understand why they can't PRODUCE THEIR OWN sugar cane. It's like how parents will call for you when you're busy just to change the channel or give them the remote...fcuking ridiculous!!!
I won't delve into suitable technologies coz that's just another headache. I'm glad the protection COMESA offered to the sugar industry is coming to an end in March 2012. Our new neighbors, South Sudan, produce sugar in excess and I'm told can currently retail it in Kenya at Kshs.40 - 50 ($0.50 - $0.60) per kg. As usual, a few politicians are already looking to extend the protection offered to Kenya in order to protect the sugar milling industries. Wouldn't it be better though, to import and retail sugar at Kshs. 50/kg and increase our disposable income? God knows I can use that extra Kshs. 300 to improve my lifestyle. South Sudan is also not proficient in milk production. I've seen a couple of STUPID FARMERS pour their milk in protest of purchase prices. Hows about we export milk to South Sudan in exchange for sugar?? I am a Kenyan student and damn patriotic to my country. I WILL to stab the sugar industry if it means the potential for growing my country is higher.
Sugar has been the cream of most conversations in Kenya for the past month, and for good reason. 1kg of sugar goes for between Kshs. 200 - 220 ($2.00 - $2.40) up from Kshs.75 in January. Reasons given by millers range from shortage in sugar cane supply to increased pay to farmers. As part of the consumer basket, it has obviously decreased disposable income for most households. Whereas a 2kg pack had a budget of Kshs. 150, we now have to spend between Kshs. 400 - 450 (roughly a 3-fold increase). All this I attribute to lack of accountability. Lemmi explain;
The Kenyan government owns 5 sugar mills of which 4 are producing below half their capacity. These very mills have a debt of Kshs. 50 billion which is yet to be cleared since 2007 when protection for the local industry was given via a COMESA agreement. Of all the mills in Kenya -8 in total if I'm not mistaken- Mumias Sugar Company is the most efficient but still produces way below its capacity. Kenya in total requires about 12 factories with a total labor force of about 40000+ to meet its current sugar demand. We've had close to 5 years to improve our milling technology such that more sugar can be produced from one tonne of sugar cane. This change is yet to be seen, and I'm surprised there's been no media coverage or follow-up on whether the millers have been keeping to the COMESA agreement. 5 years down the line and little to no change has occurred. Our sugar millers also rely heavily on farmers to supply their raw materials. I really don't understand why they can't PRODUCE THEIR OWN sugar cane. It's like how parents will call for you when you're busy just to change the channel or give them the remote...fcuking ridiculous!!!
I won't delve into suitable technologies coz that's just another headache. I'm glad the protection COMESA offered to the sugar industry is coming to an end in March 2012. Our new neighbors, South Sudan, produce sugar in excess and I'm told can currently retail it in Kenya at Kshs.40 - 50 ($0.50 - $0.60) per kg. As usual, a few politicians are already looking to extend the protection offered to Kenya in order to protect the sugar milling industries. Wouldn't it be better though, to import and retail sugar at Kshs. 50/kg and increase our disposable income? God knows I can use that extra Kshs. 300 to improve my lifestyle. South Sudan is also not proficient in milk production. I've seen a couple of STUPID FARMERS pour their milk in protest of purchase prices. Hows about we export milk to South Sudan in exchange for sugar?? I am a Kenyan student and damn patriotic to my country. I WILL to stab the sugar industry if it means the potential for growing my country is higher.
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