A supermarket scene in Kenya                      Photo courtesy

Mega retail chain stores supported by advertising agencies and media outlets are rapidly replacing churches and mosques in shaping Kenyans’ and by extension Africans’ worldview on priorities, values and needs. Ill-informed consumerism is exhibited in Kenya where some rural dwellers have sold their land to “buy Christmas” and in another incident to purchase “Madiaba Coca Cola” (big Coke).  Kenya must urgently rethink its consumerism model from one that puts consumption as the key to pleasure and aspiration to one that focuses on producing value for society.

It’s in Kenya where one can walk from a New York type mega retail store straight into a village infested with jiggers (Tunga Penetrans). Kenya’s consumerism model has produced a society that pursues false needs and is trapped in false promises. The political class thrive on this model to give handouts to voters who in turn rush to the nearest retail outlets to “consume.”

Kenya prides itself with major superhighways constructed to deliver products from external economies as opposed to boosting local production. Chances are that the middle class Kenyan seated next to you is adorned with imported shoes, socks, pants, shirt, watch, body lotion, drives an imported car, running on imported fuel; takes imported fruit juice, beer and sleeps on imported beddings. The underprivileged aspire to join this status.

Productivity yields a confident population keen to safeguard its interests. Consumption stimulates production, induces workers to work, provides source of social status, aspirations and pleasure – Kenya must ask itself: “Who is receiving the consumption stimulus signal?” Complaints from farmers on the lack of market for their produce and inability by Kenya’s trained graduate to innovate and offer solutions to the challenges facing the country could be an indicator that the consumption signal is directed elsewhere. Economies that invest in their intellectual capabilities to be productive will continue to dominate Kenya and by extension Africa. Kenyans will increasingly find themselves alienated from their own children as global market dynamics shape culture and determine individual goal-setting paradigm.

The surge in retail outlets without adequate investment in factories that should provide products for both local and external markets is likely to imprison the country in perpetual insecurity. Supermarkets are modern day Kenya’s monuments of consumption; they reflect largely a pattern of the country’s middle class settlement located in cities and major urban centers. It is estimated that the over 230 supermarkets in Kenya have already displaced over 90,000 small shops (ma & pa shops). Mega shopping malls (estimated to be over 15) are concentrated mostly in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret.

Youth Dynamix released a report in June last year that indicated that Kenyan youth “chill zones” included shopping malls, cinema halls and eateries.  The report pointed out that Kenyan youth spend an estimated Ksh 64 billion (USD 724 million) on cloth and Ksh 23 billion (USD 274 million) on airtime annually. An estimated 39% of Kenyan youth aspirations were to own an Iphone and 32% looked forward to own a Blackberry.  Not far from average middle class Kenyan aspiration to own the latest car model. The Kenya consumer dynamics does not make it “cool” for the youth to be on forefront in offering solutions to the country’s challenges.

A report by the Mckinsey’s Africa Consumer Insights Center on “The Rise of the African Consumer” indicates that Africa consumer facing industries are expected to grow by USD 400 billion by 2020. Africa’s private consumption rose by USD 568 billion in 2000 – 2010. Kenya is among ten other African countries namely, Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan and Tunisia that accounted for 81% of Africa’s private consumption in 2011. The continent’s youthful population aged 16 – 24 years are reported to be brand conscious; search information online; seek products and stores that reflect “right image;” follow latest fashion and trends and are keen to try new things.

The rise in the consumer culture has witnessed the growth in lottery gratification where individuals seek to leapfrog their economic status devoid of hard work and investment. Sacrificed at the altar of consumerism is the savings culture which should be prioritized as a strategy to buffer individuals and the country in times of hardship.  The country is characterised by human capital that is increasingly focused on short term gratification at the expense of investment in skills and knowledge to improve productivity.  Institutions such as the family and community are losing out as the country’s middle class scramble for relevance in the modern showy trend. 

While consumption may be an individual and private affair, cumulatively evaluated, it forces one to take keen interest in where the working class invest and where for example, the Maasai who sells off their land in Kajiado invest their money. The increase in gated housing and private security firms is indicative of consumerism gone awry – short term goals driving majority into criminal activities. Conspicuous consumption among the privileged few has bred a class of the excluded ready to pounce on those who flaunt their wealth.

Kenya should not to simply pride itself on the number of graduates churned out per year but on the number of patents transformed into commercial enterprises per year. The country’s legislative infrastructure should be geared towards putting wind into the sails of local productivity through incentives towards intellectual growth, innovation and logistics. The country should position itself as a net producer of solution givers to both its challenges and to those facing the entire continent. The rise of mega retail chains in the country should challenge each one to seek to deliver value at the market place. 

Mega retail stores derive their nourishment from Kenyan media outlets churning out a constituency of ill-informed consumers keen to adopt soap opera lifestyles. Informed consumerism offers Kenyans an opportunity to evolve, nurture and drive their own cultural presence on the continent and across the world.  An informed consumer expects informed producers to meet international ethical and environmental standards.  Time is ripe for local producers to invest and pick up consumer signals. 

As the country prepares for a new dispensation after the March 4, 2013 poll, it’s instructive that the new administration review the country’s mission and vision and orient it towards a savings and wealth creation culture. The global society successfully gave meaning to champagne, cigarettes and cars – Kenya and by extension Africa should give meaning and value to use of knowledge to produce economic benefits, exertion, perseverance and far sightedness. 

By James Shikwati

The author [email protected] is Director of Inter Region Economic Network and Publisher, The African Executive online magazine.