GIVE JOB PREFERENCE TO KENYAN PROFESSIONALS EMPLOYED OVERSEAS FOR THE SAKE OF FASTER DEVELOPMENT.

In today's global economy, human capital plays a significant part in separating succeeding nations from failing ones. A country's economic prowess in no longer determined by the amount of mineral deposits within its national borders or by its favorable climatic conditions but by its ability to produce an educated, skilled, and innovative workforce. It is the power of ideas-intelligence capital-that will guarantee the success of any nation in the twenty first century.

Certain countries, such as, India, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea have reinvented and reenergized their economies by bringing home and exploiting their citizens who have studied and worked abroad, specifically in America and Europe. Once recruited and hired at home, these foreign educated and experienced individuals are tasked with creating the needed change and delivering stellar results in both public and private enterprise by duplicating and implementing what they have learned in their host countries. No wonder, these countries have succeeded in engineering companies that compete and dominate in their respective industries through out the globe.

It is important to note that none of the mentioned countries have relied heavily on natural resources to gain a competitive advantage in international trade. Most of their domination has been delivered by the power of better ideas "borrowed" from "advanced" nations and implemented by their foreign educated and experienced citizenry.

In Africa, very few countries can compare to Kenya when it comes to intelligence capital. Kenya is one of the top African nations producing skilled labor in America and in Europe. These Kenyan professionals exploit their best ideas every day to advance foreign nations. Unfortunately their best ideas and talents are not being utilized to improve the welfare of the Kenyan people.

Since skilled labor is the critical resource of the day, immediate steps must be taken to link Kenya's intelligence capital, currently exploited abroad, with employment opportunities back at home. Both the government and the private sector must seek out qualified Kenyans professionals excelling abroad and guarantee them critical jobs in order to maximize the exploitation of their education, skills, and professional experience.

Most Kenyan professionals working overseas are very eager to return home and play their part in nation-building. In fact, some of them would take the next flight home if they were guaranteed a job that meshes well with their education, experience, and compensation expectations. However, most of them still maintain that employment in Kenya is heavily dominated by corruption, nepotism, and that merit plays zero part in the hiring process. It is upon the government and the private sector to change this "belief" by extending open opportunities to the talented pool of Kenyan men and women currently benefiting foreign nations.

If a transparent hiring process is established, then job applicants will compete fairly, and the best man/woman will get the job. I even dare suggest that "special" consideration be given to this group of Kenyan men and women in order to expedite the process of bringing home and hiring the best human capital that Kenya has to offer.

Although it may seem presumptuous on my part to propose special consideration for Kenyan professional working overseas, I am in no way or shape trying to diminish the effectiveness of home-grown talent as I am fully aware that Kenyan universities and industries are capable of producing an exceptional and qualified labor force. However, I must argue for and support the value of foreign exposure.

It is the intangibles learned and acquired in the American and European work place, which add value to a college degree and work experience. It is the ability and willingness to break from tradition, duplicate better methods, and exercise new strategies that will increase production and promote efficiency in the Kenyan work place. In other words, qualified Kenyans who have gained American or European experience can easily, urgently, and cheaply bring home innovative ideas to improve performance in all sectors of government and industry.

Just like tea, coffee, horticulture, and tourism are important resources to Kenya so is the intelligence capital contained in the brains of Kenyan professionals employed overseas. Let us find the quickest, most organized and most effective way of bringing this important resource home for the benefit of all Kenyans.

George Kyalo Mutua

Atlanta, GA, USA