I fully concur with Mr Okoth Osewe’s commentary on the proposed “Operation Thunderbolt” initiative by Mr Clay Onyango. I will not repeat Mr Osewe’s words, but emphasize that a serious long-term initiative of this magnitude should first begin with a clear masterplan. Before the proposed October 28 party, available media should have been used to market the idea, underscoring its necessity by touching upon the need to invest in Kenya.
Using available media would have enabled serious would-be investors to debate, thereby poking holes into weak areas and straightening them before this first party. A number of face-to-face meetings should also have been held.
I am astonished that the proposed initiative will take off through a party with music and dance; a serious project that will involve thousands of Kenyans’ hard-earned Swedish crowns! Let’s be serious and know that even if this is a grand idea, nobody in his/her sane mind would just be led into parting with SEK 100 for membership in a project that has no known leadership or bank account.
I beg to ask too that why should Kenyans invest their money through the Kenya Embassy in Sweden? Can’t we open an account and set up signatories without involving the embassy? What happens in case of a regime change in Kenya and say we get into a bad and dark relationship with the embassy?
Mr Clay Onyango should go back to the drawing board with a few serious “forward thinking” Kenyans and come up with a workable structure for the noble idea, and launch it officially after thrashing out all the potential weaknesses, which are already evident at this stage. For some of us in the know, land in Kenya (especially Nairobi), appreciates in value every single year. This grand idea will not allow for apartments in Kariobangi, but within posh areas, which right now cost a fortune. SEK 600,000 for example in ten years will be peanuts, and will only be able to build one apartment.
Why should I put in SEK 12,000 in ten years while I could do so in one year? Why ten years, yet some of us just crave to get serious investors to team up with as soon as possible? As Mr Osewe begged, what happens in case of death, change of residence for a member or any unforseen fallout within the group?
Why retain 25% of a member’s invested sum? Where is the collateral? Which financial institution in Kenya will give a loan without a guarantee? What about legal and binding structures which will involve lawyers’ fees in Kenya? There are a million queries that need to be answered before launching this project. Kenyans should weigh out these points before making the “big leap” into oblivion.
Jared Odero
About the Author
