guru267 wrote:Mainat wrote:I still maintain that raising CBR again to tackle inflation that is caused by supply side issues (rain->food which is still the largest component)is idiocy. Especially because people won't stop spending on food just because interest rates are going up.
Spoken like a true economist.
A growing frontier like kenya should not be worried over currency depreciation and wide fiscal deficit because it is in a growth phase and the importation of capital assets and consumer goods not yet present in the country is simply a normal phase which all Asian Tigers went through. Including high government spending.
I maintain that inflation in kenya is being driven higher and higher by FOOD, FUEL, & ELECTRICITY... Only the rains can save us now..
But Even if the CBK raises the bank rate to 40% at the next MPC meeting these figures will not change...
Solution: Boost and maintain irrigation & boost and maintain geothermal power generation and the long term prospects will improve...
Consecutive large current account deficits lead to currency devaluation and it was a private sector led boom that led to the Asian Financial Crisis. They were largely financed the deficit with debt and not equity (except Malaysia), coupled with the fact that the deficit was being financed externally. Goes back to the fact that when you can no longer finance your deficit, your credibility with lenders diminishes.
In a country like ours where savings are declining at a rapid pace should interest rates be high or low? Maintaining import levels is good especially with it's capital goods, but not such at a time when the World Bank/IMF has made ur wallet look fat for the last two years. It implies dependence.
If indeed infrastructure projects yield high returns then let's see if we attract FDI flows. The solution, your long term infrastructure prospects would be greatly aided by foreign private inflows because you could create growth and finance your imports.
my 2 cents.
“We are the middle children of history man, no purpose or place. We have no great war, no great depression. Our great war is a spiritual war, our great depression is our lives!" – Tyler Durden