The future of Kenya’s development will be put before citizens from Wednesday as the government begins nationwide consultations on a new long-term blueprint, with Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi insisting the plan does not belong to President William Ruto.
Mbadi said Kenya Vision 2060 is still being developed and will take shape from views collected from Kenyans, political leaders and other stakeholders during the public participation process.
He dismissed suggestions that the President had already prepared the proposed development plan, saying the consultations were intended to allow the country to collectively decide its economic and social priorities for the decades ahead.
“I've had people saying Ruto has developed another vision. Ruto has not developed a vision,” Mbadi said.
“Tomorrow we are starting conversation on how to develop a vision for this country. I think that should come out very clearly,” he added.
The CS spoke to journalists at his office ahead of the launch of the public engagement exercise scheduled for Wednesday, August 12.
He said the process would be guided by the Constitution, which requires public participation in matters affecting the country, and urged Kenyans to use the opportunity to put forward ideas on what they want the country to become.
“Tomorrow is a beginning of public engagement in terms of public participation, as is required and enshrined in our Constitution, and this is what is going to inform what Kenyans will say is what should inform Vision 2060,” Mbadi said.
Mbadi also challenged opposition politicians and other critics of the administration to take part in the discussions and offer their proposals instead of condemning the initiative from outside.
“Everyone should not start saying that we have developed a new vision. If you have better ideas, this is the time for you to come. In fact, the President has invited them, including the opposition. Come tomorrow, we start engagement,” he said.
He further sought to separate the proposed blueprint from Ruto’s presidency, arguing that its 2060 target extends far beyond the President’s constitutional time in office.
“The vision is not for Ruto; it is 2060. Ruto can only be in power up to 2032, not beyond,” he said.
“Therefore, this vision is not his. In fact, he will implement a very small part of that vision,” he added.
Vision 2060 is expected to take over from Vision 2030, which was developed in 2008, and will offer a longer timeframe for planning Kenya’s economic transformation. The consultations are expected to be held in all 47 counties, bringing the process closer to citizens and local stakeholders.
Mbadi said work had already been done to prepare a framework that will guide the national discussions. He said a technical team, including Professor Nyong’o and international consultant Professor Yino, had contributed to the preparations.
“Now is the time to sit together, engage, dialogue, agree that where is Kenya going?” he said.
The Treasury CS said one of the main ambitions under the long-term plan would be to take Kenya into the ranks of developed, high-income economies.
He referred to Ruto’s previously stated ambition of transforming Kenya to the level of countries such as Singapore within the next two to three decades.
“President Ruto has already spoken that he would want Kenya to develop to the first world, to go to Singapore, if I may use this word, in the next 20 to 25 years,” Mbadi said.
According to Mbadi, Kenya has already made progress towards that goal through investments and policies introduced by successive administrations, giving the country a base from which to pursue its longer-term ambitions.
“It is achievable. It is possible. We have already laid the foundation, the building blocks, which were started during President Kibaki's time. President Ruto has actually built very strongly on those building blocks,” he said.
The national discussions will involve citizens, political parties, public institutions and other stakeholders, with their views expected to help determine the economic and development priorities that will form Kenya Vision 2060.