Let the State open up the roads and we'll do the rest

One of the popular concepts in economics is “public goods.” They are services provided by the government because they would be too expensive if provided by individuals.

We also benefit from economies of scale by providing services in “wholesale” instead of “retail.” It is also hard to exclude some citizens from public goods, which are usually paid for through taxes. Can you stop someone from using roads because he hasn’t paid taxes? Do public goods loosely translate to “mali ya umma”?

Examples of public goods include roads, railways, public sewerage, national defence, power grid, parks and schools. And a surprising one – knowledge. The concept of public goods seems alien in Kenya.

We are more used to private goods. Private cars, matatus, biodigesters, security guards, private schools, among others. Do I add private weddings and funerals? The word private in Kenya connotes class and status. 

One argument why public goods are not on our lips is that we don’t pay enough taxes to fund them.

Another popular belief is that there is enough money, but it’s not put to the right use or is simply stolen. Other public goods are diverted to private use, leaving little for the public. 

If you have ever lived or visited developed countries, the concept of public goods is clearer. Such goods are found even in areas equivalent to our slums. The inequality is not that extreme. I am always amazed to see some roads being swept in Kenya when other places have no paved roads.

The big question is which of the many public goods should we prioritise? My bet is on roads. The reason is simple. Other goods can easily be supplemented or substituted by private goods. We can attend private schools, hospitals, we can dig water wells, we can hire private guards and install solar power. But it’s very hard to build private roads. Buying space and constructing roads is too expensive. Think of everyone building a road to their residence! It might even be easier to build a private airstrip. 

One can argue that building the expressway proves that the distinction between public and private goods is blurring. But the private sector will not build an expressway in Shamakhoko or Ekalakala. It’s not profitable. You can now see the origin of the term public good?

Public goods are not about to become irrelevant. Clearly, one of the best ways to stimulate the economy is to build roads. Citizens can provide or supplement other public goods.

A visit to Kamakis off Thika Road, Kiserian-Isinya road or more recently, Dongo-Kundu leaves no doubt why we need to invest in road networks. Unfortunately, politics has defined roads as a favour to be dispensed. The same applies to school bursaries. Curiously, when roads are bad, we prefer to buy bigger cars!

Roads have positive spillovers. A few examples. Good roads reduce the cost of food. The supply and demand can be matched. Visit Kinangop or Shamata in Nyandarua during the rainy season and witness the food loss.

With good roads, all that food would find its way to supermarkets, bringing down the prices. It’s only in Kinangop that cows run away from cabbages, less than 150 kilometres from Nairobi.

Good roads reduce mortality, access to hospitals is better, and emergencies are easier to handle. Good roads even enrich the genetic pool, you can leave your village and get a wife from far.  How did you get your wife or hubby? Hanging around your village? 

Good roads catalyse innovation. We can move from one place to another with our ideas. The reason Nairobi contributes so much to our GDP is because of accessibility. 

Interstate highways

Anyone can get into Nairobi with their ideas, through the air, roads, rail, or even on foot! Think of the ideas generated and exchanged in Nairobi because of diversity.  

What distinguishes developed countries from others is their road networks. Think of the USA interstate highways. Think of Chinese roads, and we must add rails in Europe and China. Add airports and ports.

Roads are closest to most citizens. Why don’t we have inter-county highways after mimicking the American political system? 

The easiest way to appreciate why we need roads and rails is that it’s not trains or cars that travel, it’s people and their ideas. They travel seeking opportunities that eventually transform the economy and lives. Give us roads, we shall do the rest.

The word given is appropriate; we have paid for the roads through taxes. By the way, my village has not seen tarmac, 60 years after Uhuru, despite having one of the highest concentrations of WW II and Mau Mau veterans. I will not disclose its name for security reasons.