Investors Shun Kenya Due to Unstable Electricity - Vietnam Gas President Doanh Chau Says

Vietnam Gas President Doanh Chau has exposed how Kenya and African countries are losing out on investments because of leadership and corruption.

Citing Kenya as an example, Chau expressed that African leaders were more focused on talking big rather than executing the plans they had.

He cited the case of Kenya, which had challenges of electricity connectivity, yet it is a big incentive for attracting investment for industries that can create job opportunities for millions of Kenyans.

‍Why It Matters: In recent years, Kenya has been losing its competitive advantage to neighbouring countries such as Ethiopia and Uganda. More often than not, investors have moved to other countries because of government policies and corruption. This has seen Kenya miss out on investments that would have created millions of jobs.

"Kenya’s real problem is not a lack of money or talent. It’s the absence of long-term vision and the dominance of short-term gain. Leaders talk big, but systems don’t move. They wait for outsiders to bring business, rather than build an environment for it," read the post in part.

"The biggest indicator? Electricity. Vietnam: 100 million people, over 70 GW of power. Kenya: 50 million people, only 4 GW. This is not a side issue—it’s the foundation of economic development. No investor will build a factory where the lights flicker every day. Vietnam knew this. It built power generation before free trade zones, and now it’s a global export hub." 

Regarding the government’s housing project, he noted that corruption in the country was a big hindrance to attracting investors who could partner with the government to provide affordable houses for Kenyans.

Also Read: Polished Talk, Zero Execution - Vietnam Gas President Slams Kenya

"Leadership must stop performing for the next donor visit or summit. It must build systems that attract local and global investment, reward builders, and guarantee follow-through," he added.

"The global window is closing. Asia isn’t waiting. If Kenya and much of Africa want a real economic future, they must turn off the microphone and turn on the power."

Additionally, he called out the strategies that have been used by leaders in implementing infrastructural projects. 

In this case, he wondered why building the Nairobi Expressway was necessary, yet there was no major export industry to support it.

As a remedy, he called on the leadership to talk less, build systems to attract investments and execute their plan.

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