Archbishop Jackson Nasoore Ole Sapit has warned President William Ruto that his Vision 2060 plan could become another political flashpoint if pursued as the country heads into an election, drawing parallels with the failed Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
The head of the Anglican Church of Kenya said long-term planning was necessary for any government or institution, but questioned the decision to introduce a major national agenda at a time when the country was already entering a politically charged period.
“The aspect of planning is in the DNA of every institution and every government. Having a plan is not a bad thing,” Archbishop Ole Sapit said.
Speaking on JKL show on August 12, 2026, Ole Sapit said the timing of the new initiative could create a fresh political focus at a time when attention was already shifting towards the next election.
“Planning at this stage, when we are just getting into an election, is giving us another BBI attempt to bring up a new idea and a new focus when the ground is already heated up for election.”
His comments came shortly after Ruto launched the process of developing Vision 2060, a new long-term development framework expected to replace Vision 2030.
The President launched the national dialogue on the plan during the “Beyond Vision 2030” national conversation forum held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on Wednesday.
The event attracted more than 5,000 delegates from all 47 counties, bringing together county leaders, sector representatives and faith-based organisations.
Among those who attended was Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, alongside other stakeholders taking part in discussions on the country’s long-term development.
The forum marked the start of a nationwide public participation process that will allow Kenyans to contribute ideas to the proposed successor to Vision 2030.
Vision 2030 was launched under former President Mwai Kibaki as a long-term national development blueprint.
Ruto said the process of preparing Vision 2060 would be guided by the 2010 Constitution, particularly its requirement for public participation in national policy processes.
He directed government officials to seek views from different sections of society, including academia, the private sector, civil society and young people.
The proposed roadmap is expected to cover the next 30 years and provide a long-term direction for Kenya’s economic and social development.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi presented an outline of the framework during the forum, with the government describing Vision 2060 as a plan aimed at moving Kenya towards first-world economic status.
The framework is also expected to draw lessons from countries that have recorded rapid economic and industrial growth, with Singapore and South Korea cited as examples.
According to administration officials, the new plan will also respond to challenges that were not given the same attention in earlier development blueprints.
Artificial intelligence, technological changes and climate change mitigation are among the emerging issues expected to form part of the new framework.
However, Ole Sapit’s remarks have placed the timing of the process under scrutiny, particularly because of the political atmosphere surrounding the coming election.
His comparison to BBI recalls the constitutional reform initiative that dominated national politics under the previous administration.
The BBI process sought major constitutional changes and became the subject of intense political debate before the courts stopped it ahead of the 2022 General Election.
Ole Sapit’s concern is centred on the possibility that Vision 2060 could attract a similar political focus if the process unfolds during an election period.
He maintained that planning for the country’s future was not the problem, but suggested that the timing of the initiative could make it difficult to separate the development agenda from the political contest.
The government has already begun the public participation process, bringing together representatives from across the country to gather views on the proposed 30-year plan.
The consultations are expected to shape the framework as Kenya prepares to move from Vision 2030 to a new development roadmap covering issues such as technology, artificial intelligence and climate change.