Kenya's economy stands at a crossroads: outwardly resilient, with projected growth hovering around 4.5–5.0 percent and a relatively stable macro‑environment, yet weighed down by persistent fiscal fragility, high debt‑servicing costs, and a stubbornly weak labour market. The question "Whither the economy?" cuts to the core of whether the country can translate this modest growth into broad‑based jobs, inclusive industrialisation, and genuine citizen‑facing prosperity—or remain trapped in a cycle of debt‑led spending and uneven structural transformation. Kwame Owino tells us why.