The Imbalance/Disbalance Of Wage Payment As A Source Of Poverty And Many Crimes In Kenya.

Abstract

The Disbalance of wage payment is a very common phenomenon, which has led to poverty and many crimes in Africa. This is evident in the review of the literature generated by the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), which was published between the years 1980 - 1998. This research has shown that poverty rates in Africa are exceptionally high and the situation is still deteriorating. For example, in the mid 1990, the mean headcount ratio for the whole region was 53%, with rural urban poverty rates of 56% and 43% respectively. Again, inequality in the distribution of income is also large, with a mean grade of 49%. In some Countries like Kenya, rural poverty is in the range of 70- 80%, and urban poverty is 50- 60%.' There are many people who are highly paid and others are underpaid. If one tries to make a critical analysis of the salary scale in Kenya, one fact is clear that the gap between the salary of a skilled labour and unskilled labour and semi - skilled labour is very exorbitant. For example, the Salary Scale in Kenya for ordinary people is between Ksh. 3,000 to 4,000 per month. Imagine, one wants to have her children well educated, decent house, decent food and clothing to live a truly human life. But how can one succeed with such wages? As a result, the children born in such situations will share the pattern of life of poverty. Some instead of trying to overcome this situation, commit crimes such as stealing, robbery, prostitution, bribery, possessing African spirituous liquor (Chang'aa), selling price-controlled goods at a price exceeding maximum price, trading without licence, forgery, murder, possessing poisonous drugs, rape, handling stolen property, cheating and the like. The findings show that persons in the poor areas contribute more crime than persons in the rich areas.2