Nairobi, Aug. 25 -- Looking back in time to the 2008 financial crash that rocked much of the Western world, especially countries like the US, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine, and Ireland, I ponder what lessons we can take from it in our modern lives here in Kenya.

Even though I was already residing in East Africa at the time, I remember looking at the US in horror as their Treasury put $25 billion into the massive Citigroup banking conglomerate, then also other banks such as another $25 billion into JPMorgan Chase, $10 billion into Goldman Sachs, another $10 billion into Morgan Stanley, and $25 billion into Wells Fargo.

Is helping banks during an economic downturn a problem? No, not at all. Then, what was so shocking?

The ...