Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has proposed that Kenya's long-term development blueprint be anchored in law to protect it from political changes, saying frequent shifts in government priorities have slowed progress and denied many African countries the chance to achieve lasting economic transformation.
Speaking during the launch of the New National Vision: Journey to a First World Economy on Tuesday, Kindiki said Kenya now has an opportunity to pursue a clear path towards sustained growth, but warned that the country risks losing momentum if future administrations abandon programmes started by their predecessors.
He said one of the biggest lessons emerging from the forum was that policy inconsistency continues to hold back development across Africa, with every new government often introducing fresh priorities instead of building on existing plans.
"They have helped us answer the big bottleneck that has disturbed Africa and most of the developing world, which is policy disruption," Kindiki said.
The Deputy President noted that experts participating in the discussions identified policy disruption as one of the main barriers to long-term development, saying governments frequently discard ongoing programmes whenever leadership changes.
"Every administration wants to come and do what they think is okay," he said.
Kindiki argued that the best way to safeguard Kenya's economic agenda is by giving the country's long-term vision legal protection, making it difficult for any administration to alter national priorities without following the law.
"We must start anchoring the vision for Kenya in law," he said.
"And once it's anchored in law, we are not saying it cannot be adjusted... but it must be difficult to adjust it, so you will have to go to Parliament and amend that law."
He said such a legal framework would ensure the country's long-term economic transformation agenda remains intact while still allowing Parliament to make carefully considered changes whenever necessary.
Kindiki also called for a more inclusive process in shaping Kenya's future, saying leaders from across the political divide should be involved so that the development agenda belongs to the country rather than any single administration.
"It is not about your administration. It is not about a particular political party," he said.
"Political parties... should be invited from as early as possible so that we depoliticise the process."
On economic growth, the Deputy President said agriculture remains the country's strongest foundation for long-term prosperity, adding that Kenya's natural resources provide a solid base for sustained development.
"The primary sector is the most durable way of underwriting long-term, sustainable and permanent movement into the First World," he said.
He added that agriculture should be supported by manufacturing, transport, logistics, education, innovation, science and technology to drive the country's economic transformation.
Kindiki also urged Kenyans to believe in their own potential, saying Africa has the resources, talent and youthful population needed to compete with the rest of the world.
"I think we have all these factors... young population, good land, mineral wealth. The confidence, the belief in our ability to do it like everybody else is something that we must build in ourselves," Kindiki said.
He expressed confidence that the ongoing discussions would help produce a shared national vision capable of guiding Kenya's development for many years to come.