If they were going to pay $5/hour, why wouldn't they do the same work in India, Vietnam, or some other country with wages in that neighborhood, but with a more stable political environment, better infrastructure, and more experienced and educated workforce? Choosing Kenya at that price point would essentially be charity, and might end up being costly charity (because of the extra costs associated with doing business in Kenya vs more established markets).
And then Kenya doesn't gain the benefit of the $2/hr wages (which, as mentioned, is already above average), plus the benefits in knowledge & experience, improved infrastructure, and secondary jobs, as well as the possibility of similar jobs in the future.
China started out competing almost exclusively on wages (like Japan, Korea, and Taiwan before them), and now the US and EU worry about Chinese advanced industries (eg. semiconductors) surpassing their own, the same way Taiwan did with chips and Japan did with cars.
Competing via low wages is, unfortunately, a necessary first step to growing an economy.
And then Kenya doesn't gain the benefit of the $2/hr wages (which, as mentioned, is already above average), plus the benefits in knowledge & experience, improved infrastructure, and secondary jobs, as well as the possibility of similar jobs in the future.
China started out competing almost exclusively on wages (like Japan, Korea, and Taiwan before them), and now the US and EU worry about Chinese advanced industries (eg. semiconductors) surpassing their own, the same way Taiwan did with chips and Japan did with cars.
Competing via low wages is, unfortunately, a necessary first step to growing an economy.