Lawyer Willis Otieno has raised concerns over Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s claim that Kenya can halve poverty in 20 years, warning that the comparison to China is incomplete and could mislead the public.
“China’s poverty reduction was not accidental or rhetorical,” Otieno said.
He explained that the Asian country relied on decades of long-term planning, massive industrialization, heavy infrastructure investment, and coordinated policies linking the state, capital, and labor.
China built factories at scale, moved rural labor into manufacturing, offered productivity-linked wages, and invested heavily in rural infrastructure—steps Kenya has not taken, the lawyer noted.
By contrast, Kenya is facing structural challenges, including de-industrialization, over-taxing consumption, exporting raw labor instead of value-added goods, and running a debt-constrained economy with weak social safety nets.
Otieno acknowledged that the aspiration to reduce poverty is commendable but stressed that setting numerical targets alone is not enough.
He called for systemic reforms, including industrial growth, fiscal discipline, and stronger social protection, to create realistic pathways out of poverty.
Currently, about 20 million Kenyans—40 percent of the population—live below the poverty line.
Otieno’s warning adds a critical perspective to the debate over whether ambitious targets, like those endorsed by Kindiki and President William Ruto, are feasible under Kenya’s present economic conditions.