Arguably, Kenya’s greatest asset is its human capital. Rarely on the continent will one find a country with knowledge, training, skills and intelligence that surpasses that of Kenyans?
The country’s citizens are brilliant, innovative, forward-thinking and solution-oriented. Even when they are let down by inept and self-serving leadership, Kenyans find private solutions to intractable public challenges.
In the diaspora, Kenyans have made significant contributions to the countries that host them. The airport at Doha in Qatar is practically run by Kenyans. They have dominated the service industry there.
Many other Kenyans work as professionals in education and healthcare services in the US and UK. Others still have ascended to positions of leadership. Several Kenyans are councillors in the UK. Former US president Barack Obama traces his roots to Kenya. And so does UK’s current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
If Kenyans excel globally, it is because they have put a premium on education. And it shows in everyday life. The average Uber driver in Kenya has an amazing grasp of geopolitical issues and how they relate to them. They can explain in intricate how the Ukraine-Russia conflict has influenced the pump price of petrol in Kenya.
Your local gatekeeper is most likely a university graduate who can give you an Economics lecture on the workings of demand and supply forces or how the government’s fiscal and monetary policies are affecting Kenyans today.
Ruth Karauri: How I landed Boeing 787 in London amidst massive storm
It is not by chance that the country has become renowned, albeit in a negative light, as a churner of academic dissertations for indolent but wealthy students overseas.
Also, less flattering is that fact such brilliant but warped thinking has seen some Kenyans impersonate senior police officers, surgeons and lawyers. Recent media reports have unearthed an “advocate” who has argued several criminal and civil matters successfully ostensibly without a university degree or practicing certificate.
But contrary to social media reports, the national carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) has never had within its ranks, “a fake pilot who flew for 8 years without a pilot’s license.” The airline industry in Kenya is very highly regulated with frequent audits from a number of regulators.
KQ correctly says, “all pilot licenses are issued and renewed annually by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority upon establishing that the holder has met required knowledge and experience.”
It further adds that,
“all Kenya Airways pilots and crew go through very rigorous training, background and security checks to ensure that they are qualified to operate.”
It is evident that this investment in human capital has served the national carrier well. Earlier in the year, Captain Ruth Karauri made international news when she successfully landed a KQ Boeing 787 at London’s Heathrow Airport. This was in the midst of a gale-christened Storm Eunice. She attributed her confidence to the training received over the years.
Following a security incident that was safely diffused on a flight to London last week, Kenya Airways hosted a welcome reception for the crew of KQ 100.
A statement from the airline speaks for every Kenyan;
“We are proud of the team for showing leadership and taking the necessary security precautions, exercising a high level of safety measures on board as per the aviation security training.”