The Recently order by Kenyan government to send all Somali refugee back to Somalia was ill-advised and consequences of this move will be disaster for Kenyan economy as well as further damaging on the image of investment policy.
How Kenyan police carried out their operation to sweep all Somali refugee back to Somalia were unprofessional and inhuman manner which is against the basic human right in Geneva conversion.
They captured whoever his/her identify look like Somali, they entered every homes, restaurants, hospitals, lodges throughout in Kenya, they terrorizing, harassing and humiliating the people. They was targeting particularly Somali community regardless weather they are Somali Kenyan or Somali Somalia’s, both of them were arrested without asking any identification documents, they looted countless money belongings to the people, some report said there was rape case complaint of same woman’s, many people who were walking on the street and had same amount of money in their pockets were taking them away as local tv station broadcasted one of victim who claimed over 5000 us dollar had been taken by Kenyan police and money other the worsts horror case had happened.
Although Kenya government says the reason behind this operation was followed the recent bomb blast attack occurred in various part of Kenya, and it is new measure steps that government want to take in order to restore the security of country, although kenya is second home of Somalia we always love kenya is peace country and we thank them how they welcomed thousands of samali refugee but many political analyst like writer of this article are in believe it cannot be justified what government of kenya is trying to use as an excuse in the name of fighting against terrorist, such operation appeared to be political motivated by powerful politician who intends to chase the Somali businessman’s away from easlight shopping complex in Nairobi which commonly know as garisa market which also become the most commercial hub and the biggest profitable market in east/ central African regions. And those behind had hidden agenda which won’t be worked.
Therefore, I want show you very clear picture on how kenya are the most beneficiary of the somali business, those following points are shown as below.
1, the somali people are the top investor in Kenyan economy, remember it was in 1991 when the first somali refugee arrived in kenya at that time easliaght was the worst place compare to other areas in Nairobi and had not good lodges ,restaurants, hospitals banks and houses as well as shops, and if you see today you can find five standard hotels plus garissa shopping complex which become the busiest shopping center for 40 million of Kenyan who come from different districts to make their shopping day today, who invested this business it is Somali businessman’s and don’t forget the other e sectors outside easlight Nairobi which Somali investors heavily invested are including such as, money transfer know as xawilaad, small industry, transportation, land, hospitals , patrol stations, import and export goods, developer of real estate building, schools, and many other valuable business.
2, job creation; the Somali investor has also created over 100, 000 of jobs, the easlight is most populated areas of Somalis community which during British colonial gave Somali Kenyans and it estimates over 200,000 of population living in are Somalis and each family of Somali has Kenyan kaparwa [house clean workers] who works permanently their homes and lodges, hospitals, restaurants which belongings to Somali businessman’s ,that means over 100, 000 of unskilled Kenyan got jobs from the Somali community and their monthly earn are the only source of income they support their depending families , for example, Kenyan local construction companies is the most benefited by offer contract by somali investors who own real estate building in many part of Kenya.
3,pays billions of tax; annual kenyan receives billion of shilling of tax directly from the somali business as department revenue authority are shown the last report released that indicate easliaght business was listed in number 4 on top ten the highest tax pays to government plus the miraa trading which is second on top ten. Especially that for meru community who is the most benefitted for miraa trading, if you ask question one of meru community if somali stops buying mira what would happen to you simply will answer to you oh there is no way we can survive rather then we die, furthermore the recent UN report released about somali economy indicate that the cost of importing miraa is over 200,000 million of us dollar worth in each year and said that huge amount of money is wasting for things which is not added value lives of people and they strongly suggested that miraa trading must be stopped and it should relocate that money to other business sector which has valuable lives of people, although kenyan is making a lot of money , it is true miraa trading is the biggest destroyer of our economy, and thousands of generation of our youth somali future, this clear shows that how big trade imbalances has had somali for the last 22 years as compare to Kenya economy, for example if somali invest only 200,000 million of dollar of miraa importing one year in agriculture sector then it could be produced enough food to feed the whole somali, and definitely that it will also be able to create thousands of jobs, which will benefit thousands of youth unemployment who has been suffered hopeless for 22 yrs,
4, money transfers ; [ xawilaad]; migrant money transfers send to Kenya is estimated over 700, 000, 000 kenya shilling that money normally it is monthly bills of migrant sends to their relative who is refugee living in Kenya in order to survive their lifes, normally Kenya government receives millions of tax from the money transfers of somali community, on other sides the thousands of refugee spends that money of their basic needs such as to pay of house rent, school bills of their children, hospitals, bus fare, food shopping and many other things. All in all everybody knows that huge amount of spending money always boost to kenyan economy growth ,
All those information which I motioned above is fact findings’ which needs to be understood for those who don’t know, for that reason all kenyan must be considered the somali refugee as they are their greatest investor who deserves to be respected, as theory of business say[ there is only noe boss whom is customer].
Conclusion; Somalis are not beggar who depending on aid assistance and are not threating to kenyan security but they are the peaceful people who participating the development activities on going in kenya, but recent harsh decision made by Kenya government of sending refugee back to Somalia has brought many of Somalis businessman to have suspended their business in kenya and have shifted to their motherland in order to participate the new effort of rebuilding of their country which desperately need in a lot of money investing to revive the collapsed economic state .
The writer is political analyst and columnist
Hassan abdi hirsi
