Ruto Unveils Plan to Entrench Kenya’s Post-Vision 2030 Development Agenda in Law

Ruto Unveils Plan to Entrench Kenya’s Post-Vision 2030 Development Agenda in Law

UASIN GISHU, Kenya – President William Ruto has announced plans to introduce legislation that would permanently anchor Kenya’s next long-term national development blueprint in law, arguing that the country’s economic transformation should not be disrupted by changes in political leadership or election cycles.

Speaking during a Sunday service at ACK St. Stephen’s Chepkoilel Church in Uasin Gishu County on August 2, the Head of State said Kenya had reached a critical point where development planning must be guided by a legally binding national framework rather than shifting political priorities.

The proposed law, he explained, would ensure that successive administrations remain committed to implementing a shared national development agenda regardless of which political party forms government after future elections.

The announcement builds on Ruto’s earlier proposal for a National Conversation on Kenya’s Future Beyond Vision 2030, an initiative aimed at developing the country’s next long-term economic and social blueprint once the current Vision 2030 framework reaches its conclusion.

Addressing congregants, the President emphasized that the planned national dialogue would not revolve around politics, personalities or preparations for the 2027 General Election, but instead focus on defining Kenya’s future for generations to come.

“That is the conversation we will have as a nation. It will not be about leaders or political parties, but about the future of our country and how we can collectively drive that vision. We will also introduce legislation to ensure Kenya’s development is planned and guided by law,”< Ruto said.

According to the President, the objective is to create a long-term national vision that survives changes in government, ensuring continuity in major infrastructure projects, industrial development, healthcare, education, agriculture and economic transformation.

He argued that countries which have achieved sustained economic growth often rely on stable national development plans that extend beyond electoral cycles and partisan politics.

The President further observed that Kenya has made significant progress in implementing various constitutional provisions since the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution, particularly in governance, democratic institutions and human rights.

However, he maintained that the country must now focus on fully implementing constitutional provisions relating to economic and social development.

<u>“The Vision 2030 that we have was prepared before the referendum. We now have a new Constitution. We have operationalised all chapters of our Constitution, including laws on political parties, elections and human rights. It is now time to operationalise the chapter on development,”</u> he stated.

Vision 2030, Kenya’s current national development blueprint, was launched in 2008 with the goal of transforming the country into a newly industrialising, middle-income economy through investments in economic, social and political development.

As the programme approaches its final implementation years, the government is now seeking to formulate a successor framework capable of guiding Kenya’s long-term growth beyond 2030.

Ruto said the new process would be participatory and inclusive, allowing ordinary Kenyans to contribute ideas about the country’s future priorities.

“This is why I said it cannot be done in secret. Residents themselves will come and tell us how they want development to happen in line with the Constitution,” the President added.

The Head of State also dismissed criticism that discussions on the country’s future were being introduced too close to the next election cycle.

According to him, planning for Kenya’s long-term prosperity cannot be postponed simply because the country is approaching another electoral contest.

He maintained that development planning should remain a continuous national undertaking rather than an issue determined by political timelines.

The President first announced the proposal during his Special National Address on July 30, where he unveiled plans for a nationwide consultative process to chart Kenya’s post-Vision 2030 future.

The government expects the initiative to culminate in the official launch of the National Conversation on Kenya’s Future Beyond Vision 2030 on August 12.

According to the government, the exercise will bring together representatives from national and county governments, the private sector, academia, civil society organisations, professional bodies, development partners and ordinary citizens.

The consultations are expected to identify the country’s long-term priorities in areas such as industrialisation, technology, climate resilience, education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure and job creation.

Should Parliament approve the proposed legislation, Kenya would establish a legal framework requiring future governments to align national planning with the agreed long-term development agenda, a move the administration believes would strengthen policy continuity, investor confidence and sustainable economic growth well beyond the Vision 2030 era.

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Ruto Unveils Plan to Entrench Kenya’s Post-Vision 2030 Development Agenda in Law