Policy Monitor, Issue 7 No. 1, July-December 2014 on Improving public policy making for economic growth and poverty reduction

Abstract

With the many cases of insecurity that have plagued Kenya in the recent past, a number of articles in this issue of the Policy Monitor address various aspects of insecurity and what the government can do to stop the wave ofcrime and restore security. One of the worst forms of insecurity Kenya is currently grappling with is recurrent terrorist attacks by the Al-Shabab, especially since the Kenya Defense Forces entered Somalia. There have also been sporadic attacks on both security forces and civilians in Baragoi,Turkana, Garissa and Mandera. Devolution has also introduced new security parameters and there is need for the national government to work with county governments to come up with interventions to address specific security challenges affecting each county. To further illustrate the need for collaboration between the national and county governments in matters security, another writer uses an interesting economics conceptual framework known as the prisoners'dilemma. Find out what lessons the President and the Governors can draw from this analogy. Technological advancement has also introduced another form of insecurity that, if not checked, can be catastrophic, not just for individuals but for government and private institutions. With the many cases of hacking and data theft, cyber criminals seem to beat IT experts at their game. Even as Kenya embraces new technology, it must come up with ways to guarantee the safety of data and internet users. The lead articles, on the other hand, focus on the role industrialization and Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in growing Kenya's economy. To show the importance of industrialization in transforming the economy, the writer uses the example of Japan and Singapore, which were once on the same economic level with Kenya. The articles propose measures the government can take to tackle specific challenges affecting the two sectors. Find these and many other informative articles in this issue of the Policy Monitor.