The past year, which we have reported on day by day as we have done for the past 15 seasons now, has left us with several, often divergent aspects. One concerns national security and the exemplary behavior of Kenyans before, during and after the presidential elections that were seen, particularly by certain foreign press, as a possible powder keg for explosions of violence and chaos.

This was not the case; the country understood, absorbed and devoted itself to peace and its own interests, which come before those of politicians, even those who would have liked to stir them up.
The second aspect relates to the country's severe economic crisis, which the new government will have to try to redress, without burdening the citizens with the ever-increasing public debt and trying to converge international aid in a balanced way (especially in the U.S.-China feud) focusing on what Kenya and its people need.
Climate change is putting Kenyans in ambush. The enduring drought has vividly and almost lethally touched the two main sources of survival for rural Kenya, which still accounts for more than half of its people: agriculture and livestock. The death of livestock is now an obvious fact, and this needs to be remedied first, bearing in mind that towards the end of the year the first cases of malnutrition of old people, mothers and children also appeared, and in the north of the country people are beginning to die of starvation.

What can the return of tourism, which has already manifested itself in a positive way in August and especially during the year-end holidays, do? First of all, reactivate the induced supply of many jobs, direct or related to tourism activities. Hopefully, 2023 will be the year of final readjustment after the damage of the pandemic period. Second, to bring back foreign cash currency that can mitigate the nefarious effects of inflation, made even more burdensome by the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
So we expect, thinking positively, the end of the Putin-intended conflict and the resumption of import-export to and from Kenya, the settling of entries into the country at 2019 levels, and the willingness and ability of the country and its new rulers to resume the growth process that was in the making.
Needless to mention the many opportunities for improvement: bureaucracy, infrastructure, facilitation for businesses and those who want to invest, as well as for retirees and residents.
First, however, bringing food back to affordable prices for poor people and allowing everyone to return to farming, raising livestock and finding work. Not forgetting access to better health care and interventions in the education sector.
Let 2023 be the year of true restart for Kenya.