That the West is always interested in the continent’s politics is not in question and sometimes, they have been accused of meddling with local elections in order to have a friendly regime aligned with their interests.
Speaking during a book launch on Thursday, October 6 at the National Museum, Raila Odinga, the Azimio leader disclosed there exists a group of Western capitalists who are part of an international monopoly capital keen on seeing African states not being self-sufficient.
Mr. Odinga noted the West opposed his candidature due to his radical plan to tame market monopolies dominated by foreign nations by transforming Kenya into an exporter of finished products thus reducing its over-reliance on imported goods.
While the agenda was better for the country as it would encourage local manufacturing and production, the Azimio leader noted foreign powers translated it as a scheme to deprive them of raw materials from the country.
During his campaigns, Raila pledged to position the country as the manufacturing hub for the East and Central African region if elected president in the August 9 General Election.
The key highlight of his Azimio manifesto was the ambitious undertaking to increase Kenya’s manufacturing’s share of GDP to 30 percent from the current 7.5 percent, citing the sector’s huge potential to create jobs and grow Kenya’s exports to the regional market.
Foreign powers are currently interested in Kenya’s manufacturing sector which is rapidly growing due to the country’s rich natural resources.
It is currently the most developed in the EAC, with at least 40 percent of the goods exported to other countries in the region.
Kenya’s top exports to the EAC include pharmaceuticals, oil, cement, steel, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and sugar confectionery.
