A viral photo of President Uhuru Kenyatta driving his G-Wagon on the streets of Nairobi has drawn a lot of interest from the citizenry.

In the photo, one can see a woman that looks like a beggar, trying to speak to the president. While some said how rare it was to see the President stuck in traffic, others wondered whether it was stage managed.

Another angle of the president driving himselfWhile I don't know if it was, my problem is with the optics of the image. That photo encapsulates the issues Kenya has. The photo contrasts the lives of the rich and famous vis-a-vis the poor in our country.

The president, the senior most figure we have in this country, with wealth and power, coming face to face with his extreme opposite, lack.

The head of state in a luxury vehicle that costs upwards of Sh10-15 million at the base price, while a woman begs with the shuka she has on her back, that costs Sh150.

The president rumoured to be driving for a nyama choma at Maasai lodge on a casual Sunday while his fellow citizen begs on that same Sunday.

I believe the photo should be not be seen as a triumph but as a big problem. A miscarriage in shaping the hopes and dreams of the proletariat into something concrete and noble.

Recent economic reports paint a worrying picture of the problems the country is facing. These include a weakened real estate sector, a credit market making it nearly impossible for small businesses to borrow and a state that is in more debt than that beggar herself! 

In summary, that photo is not a celebration of Kenya's successes.