The chairperson of the committee overseeing the rollout of the 10-Point Agenda from the National Dialogue Committee report has said the programme was created to steer Kenya through a period of political and economic change while laying the groundwork for long-term reforms.
Speaking during a joint UDA–ODM Parliamentary Group meeting in Nairobi on Tuesday, Agnes Zani said the agenda grew out of the national dialogue process and had helped bring the two political sides together around a shared policy direction. She explained that the framework focuses on reforms aimed at job creation, infrastructure development and wider economic growth.
Zani told the gathering that the agenda should be viewed as a national plan rather than a political arrangement between two parties.
“Therefore this 10 Point agenda should not just be seen as a 10 Point agenda. Indeed, it sets a policy framework for how we can progress this country,” she said.
According to her, work to implement the programme has already been underway and will continue over time as part of the country’s development efforts.
“When we talk about the implementation of the 10 Point agenda, it is ongoing, has been ongoing for a very long time, and will keep ongoing because it sets the path for a developmentalist agenda,” she said.
Zani noted that the agenda focuses on a number of national priorities such as employment creation, youth opportunities, financial inclusion and expansion of infrastructure projects.
She said these areas were especially important for a country with a large population of young people.
“We are one of the countries with the largest percentage of the youth badge who need the space to be able to develop,” she said.
The committee chair added that creating economic opportunities for young people remains one of the central goals of the reform programme.
She pointed to infrastructure development as a key pillar supporting the broader economic agenda.
“It’s very, very important, as the deputy president has said that we’ve been able to put into place the National Infrastructure Fund,” she said.
Zani explained that the fund is expected to mobilise resources for large development projects through tools such as partnerships between the public and private sectors as well as investments similar to sovereign wealth funds.
“Once we have infrastructural change across the board, all these other deliverables will fit into place,” she added.
She also said the idea of creating such funds has worked in several other countries, arguing that Kenya could draw lessons from those examples.
“Other countries have done it. Why can’t we?” she said, referring to nations including Nigeria, Ghana, India and Canada.
The oversight committee that Zani chairs was formed to monitor progress on both the 10-Point Agenda and the recommendations contained in the NADCO report.
The National Dialogue Committee was created after negotiations between President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga following months of political tension and protests in 2023.
The demonstrations, which took place between March and July that year, were sparked by concerns about the rising cost of living and disputes surrounding the 2022 presidential election. The protests led to clashes with police and deepened political divisions across the country.
In response, the two leaders agreed to hold talks aimed at easing tensions and stabilising the political environment.
A 10-member committee was formed to lead the discussions, with Kimani Ichung’wah representing the Kenya Kwanza coalition and Kalonzo Musyoka representing the Azimio coalition as co-chairs.
The final report from the committee addressed several key issues, including electoral justice, the high cost of living, constitutional reforms, governance and the need for greater inclusivity in public appointments.
Among the recommendations were proposals to reconstitute the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, conduct an audit of the 2022 presidential election and introduce constitutional changes to create offices such as the Leader of the Official Opposition and a Prime Minister.
Zani told the meeting that the role of the oversight committee is to track progress on the commitments made under the agreement rather than replace the work of existing constitutional institutions.
“We’re just getting this data for specific issues which were of interest to the two political parties, ODM and UDA in the MOU, the NADCO report and 10 Point agenda,” she said.
She explained that the committee has already been gathering information and holding consultations with various groups.
“Through this, we’ve been able to engage with various stakeholders. We’ve had consultations with various stakeholders,” she said.
The consultations have included meetings and public forums across different parts of the country.
“We went through public forums throughout the various parts of the country to bring in this information,” she said.
The oversight team was set up after a statement released on August 6 by the President and leaders involved in the political agreement that led to the agenda.
Zani said the committee works alongside institutions responsible for carrying out the reforms.
“These duty bearers include the Executive Office of the President, the various ministries, commissions, organs and the judiciary,” she said.
She stressed that monitoring the progress of the agenda remains an ongoing responsibility.
“This is a task that keeps going on. It is a task that is very, very critical for us,” she said.
Zani ended her remarks by introducing members of the committee and describing their work as part of a broader responsibility to support Kenya’s long-term development path.