Meet Kenya's youngest presidential aspirant
Brian Awuonda, a Nakuru-based lawyer, is the newest entrant into the race to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in the August 9 General Election.
The 34-year-old alumnus of Kabarak University is the youngest aspirant among at least six contestants who have thrown their hats into the ring for the country’s top seat.
But despite his tender age, Mr Awuonda brings forth new and unique ideas on running a government system that he says will bring efficiency and transparency in services delivery and rapid economic growth and development.
The plan is coupled with environmental conservation, with a focus on increasing Kenya’s tree cover and introducing blockchain technology in running and providing government services.
His aim is to clear Kenya’s Sh11 trillion debt, resuscitate the weak economy and enrol each adult Kenyan citizen for a Sh10,000 monthly support programme in his first term in office.
The aspirant, who is also an environmental conservation expert, says his strategy involves generating income from the sale of carbon credits obtained from the existing forest covers in a carbon trading market.
Carbon trading is the process of buying and selling permits and credits that allow the permit holder to emit carbon dioxide.
Mr Awuonda, who is also the founder of Make Kenya Green, said the country can trade at least three percent of its forest cover in the carbon market to generate money to offset the public debt and fund its budget.
“Developed countries buy carbon credits worth millions of dollars in order to expand their industries as they mitigate their carbon footprint,” he said.
“Using three percent of our existing forest cover, Kenya (can) generate Sh30 trillion, which can clear our debt of Sh11 trillion and fund our budget of approximately Sh7 trillion and still remain with over Sh10 trillion for other public projects.”
Carbon, he said, is also an asset that Kenya can exploit to generate income.
On dealing with corruption, Mr Awuonda plans to transfer government services online using blockchain technology so as to ensure transparency.
Once elected President, he plans to replicate the entire physical government with all its data on the blockchain platform.
“Data input in the blockchain platform cannot be altered or tampered with and will be visible to the public. The blockchain government must complement the physical government, thereby giving all Kenyans access to transparent government information whose lack leads to corruption,” he said.
He also plans to introduce a digital currency called Green Coin to enable Kenyans to make more money and live comfortably.
This, he said, will enable his government to give all Kenyans Sh10,000 a month for support.
“My government will introduce a Central Bank Digital Currency called the Green Coin, which will work hand in hand with the fiat shilling,” he said.
“The value of one Green Coin will be Sh10,000. Thus my government proposes to give all Kenyans one green coin a month, translating to Sh10,000, for their financial fluidity and economic recovery.”
Mr Awuonda also plans to introduce a new medical insurance cover through his green healthcare plan to cover all Kenyans in the middle and lower classes.
The healthcare plan will be paid for using the money generated from the trees through carbon trading.
“Using two percent of our forest cover, my government will generate Sh1 trillion through carbon trading and that money will be pumped into healthcare, where my government will ensure no out-of-pocket medical expenses for any Kenyan in the middle and lower classes go beyond Sh50,000.”
Mr Awuonda joins a growing list of aspirants who have shown their interest in running for the seat in August.
These include ODM leader Raila Odinga, Deputy President William Ruto, Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria, Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and gospel artiste Reuben Kigame.
Others are National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and veteran lawyer Prof George Wajackoyah.
Mr Awuonda said his ambition was born a long time ago while he was still in school, where he held various leadership positions.
After graduating from Kabarak University in 2013, he was admitted to the bar in 2016. He practiced with Githiru & Co. Advocates before joining Wamaasa, Masese and Nyamwange & Co. Advocates in 2017. He resigned in 2018 to form his own law firm Brian and Brian before he took a break to engage in environmental conservation work.
He researched environmental cryptal law policy and developed an interest in tree planting.
Following the steps of the late Nobel prize winner Wangari Maathai, he has worked with others to plant trees in the Menengai forest.
He has also carried out civic education on leadership and climate change through his YouTube channel, Brian A Law School.
“It is during the process of giving these online lectures on chapter nine of the Constitution that I got the inspiration to become President.”
In 2020, he joined the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) founded by former American President Barack Obama, where he gained experience and the courage to announce his bid.
Mr Awuonda is banking on his Make Kenya Green programme to support his campaigns.
It involves planting a tree and allowing someone else to own it at a cost.
The group plants a tree and allows Kenyans to pay Sh1,000 to own and have it named after them. The initiative sends a pin location to the tree owner, who can visit the site and monitor its growth.
“For every tree we plant, we look for its adopter whom the tree will be named after before sending the PIN location. And for every 200 trees adopted, our organisation removes one child from the streets to take care of it at a fee charged on the adopter and this translates to Sh6,000 per month,” he said.
The programme seeks to plant at least two million trees by August 9.
And as the presidential race gathers pace, Mr Awuonda, who will vie as an independent, is determined to get to the ballot.