NAIROBI, Kenya- A Vietnamese business leader has raised concerns over what he calls a lack of execution culture in Kenya, despite ambitious infrastructure and investment plans by the government.
Doanh Chau, President of Vietnam Gas, made the comments following meetings in Nairobi with President William Ruto and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
He acknowledged the leadership’s optimism about Kenya’s development goals but said the country’s greatest challenge is not resources—but delivery.
“Kenya doesn’t suffer from a shortage of money or talent,” he said. “It suffers from a lack of long-term vision and a system that rewards talk over tangible action.”
The executive pointed to electricity generation as a key indicator of this gap.
Vietnam, a nation of about 100 million people, produces more than 70 gigawatts of power. Kenya, with half the population, generates just 4 gigawatts.
“No investor will build a factory where the power flickers,” Chau said.
“Vietnam understood this early and prioritised stable power supply before establishing free trade zones. That’s how it became a global export hub.”
‘Flashy Projects, Fragile Foundations’
He also questioned the rationale behind some of Kenya’s infrastructure priorities, citing the Nairobi Expressway as an example.
“It’s a beautiful road,” he said, “but what industry does it support? The country has built world-class roads without a manufacturing base to use them.”
While commending President Ruto’s public housing programme as an idea with potential, Chau warned that issues such as ‘petty corruption and legal uncertainty’ were discouraging serious investment.
“There are no credible guarantees. No solid incentives. That’s why investors hesitate,” he noted.
Tourism and Missed Opportunity
Chau also pointed to inefficiencies in Kenya’s tourism sector as another example of underperformance, calling it “a missed opportunity.”
“Tourists often face long delays at park entrances, even when they’ve booked in advance. And after 9pm, most cities are closed for business. The experience doesn’t match the destination’s potential.”
Drawing Comparisons with Asia
In his remarks, Chau contrasted Kenya’s development path with that of several Asian countries.
“In Vietnam, leaders are up by 5am working on implementation—not just making speeches. Policies are data-driven. Incentives align with delivery.”
He urged African nations to shift their focus from external validation to internal systems building.
“Africa doesn’t lack potential,” he said. “It lacks a mindset shift. The continent must stop performing for donors and summits, and start creating dependable, investor-ready systems.”
‘Time is Running Out’
Chau concluded with a warning that Africa risks falling further behind as Asian economies accelerate.
“The global window is closing. Asia isn’t waiting. If Kenya wants to be part of the future economy, it must stop rehearsing for its next conference—and start powering up the country.”
There was no immediate response from the Kenyan government to the remarks, which come amid ongoing discussions about the country’s economic reforms and development strategy.
