President William Ruto has stepped up his push for a national conversation on Kenya's future, urging the country to move beyond political contests and focus on reducing the cost of living, growing the economy and ensuring development reaches every part of the country.
Speaking at State House, Nairobi, on Wednesday, the President said the Constitution already protects the rights of Kenyans, including access to education, healthcare and housing, adding that the country's priority should now be putting those rights into action through policies that improve people's lives.
"Some people say they do not want a conversation about development; they want a conversation about politics," Ruto said. "But the Constitution already guarantees every Kenyan the right to education, healthcare, housing and other rights. So we must have a conversation. We should have a conversation as the people of Kenya on actualising the constitutional provisions that will make a difference in the development and economic prosperity of our nation."
The President said Kenya should put in place legal measures that guarantee every region receives a fair share of development projects, regardless of political differences.
"We must make sure that no district or part of Kenya is neglected again while others continue to develop," he said. "We should enact laws requiring that roads, electricity, water, education, healthcare and all other development projects are distributed fairly across every part of our country. We do not want development to depend on friendship or political connections; we want development to be shared equally."
Ruto also announced that the government has started reviewing the country's Vision 2030 development plan through what he described as a more inclusive process that gives ordinary Kenyans a greater role in shaping the country's future.
"This time, we are reviewing Vision 2030. When it was prepared under President Mwai Kibaki, there was not enough public participation. This time, we are not writing it as a government or as leaders alone; we are writing it together with all Kenyans," he said.
He said the revised development blueprint will be supported by legislation to ensure it remains in force even after changes in leadership.
"The previous Vision 2030 did not have a constitutional or legal foundation. This time, we are going to write a vision for our nation based on the Constitution, and we are going to prepare a specific law that will underpin Kenya's economic prosperity and development."
Ruto maintained that the biggest concern for many Kenyans today is the high cost of living rather than political competition.
"The issue in Kenya today is not whether we can vote or not. If you ask citizens anywhere, they will tell you they want us to address the cost of living," he said.
The President said his administration is working to lower household expenses by increasing agricultural production to bring down food prices, expanding universal health coverage to reduce medical costs and rolling out affordable housing to lower rent and mortgage payments.
"We will reduce the cost of living by lowering the cost of food through increased agricultural production. We will reduce healthcare costs by ensuring every Kenyan has health insurance. The cost of living will also come down when people pay lower rent and lower mortgage costs through affordable housing," he said.
Calling for support for the proposed national conversation, Ruto said the discussions should centre on creating wealth, expanding opportunities and ending poverty.
"That is how we are going to solve the cost of living, and that is what the people of Kenya want. That is why we must have a conversation about the economic prosperity and development of our nation so that we can create wealth and eliminate poverty."
His remarks come as opposition leaders continue to question the proposed national conversation, arguing that issues such as governance, accountability and electoral reforms should be addressed before launching another national dialogue. They have also raised concerns that the planned process could divert attention from existing reform demands.
Ruto has, however, maintained that the initiative is meant to replace Vision 2030 with a broader national development plan that is rooted in the Constitution, shaped through public participation and designed to guide Kenya's long-term economic growth.