I hear this often on the streets of Nairobi, that I have to tone down my expectations, be more patient (it takes more time here in Kenya, they say) and that I shouldn't push too hard lest the people that I am relying on to get things done, decide that they don't want to go ahead and work with me.

We can appoint the most brilliant managers, corporate honchos and other smart types into high office but they will soon find out that the house is shiny on the outside and stinks on the inside. We have a pathetic work ethic, we take too much for granted and we expect to be told exactly what to do oftentimes, rather than take the initiative.

Speaking of which, the government sent in the military into Baragoi but we have not heard anything since, no one asks what happened and the families of the deceased young cops continue to wallow in grief. All the while, we are all busy attending homecoming parties for newly elected "leaders".

One would think our leaders would be fighting to have our emergency and first responders well equipped but noo,all they are busy doing is fighting for more pay. That's why even Saitoti's investigations were botched and Mutula Kilonzo's family has to look outside the country for a trusted pathologist! So what hope does a common mwanainchi have?

An interesting article; I have just looked at the index; and it appears that Kenya has a score of 98.4 on the scale and is in alert category. On that basis yes I think Ke is sliding in that direction on the basis of the theoritical criterion in the formulation of index. What I find even more intriguing is that Somalia remains top of the chart . The other issue which would be interesting here is impacts of failed states on neigbouring countries around them. Are they catalyst and do they destalise or encourage or neither and are neutral. The issue in your current Daily Nation article on human trafficking deserves also to be included for consideration in any analysis of failed states as it is a sign that a state (s) are failing to tackle poverty; existence of shanty towns within a city like Nairobi also should be considered , places like kibera and Mathare for examples as these have existed for many decades going way back in kenyan history.

With the new government, hopefully, the existence of the shanty towns will reduce drastically

Dream on.