President William Ruto has unveiled an ambitious plan to transform the country by 2027 even as he sought to align his agenda with the Vision 2030 development blueprint.
Vision 2030 is the country’s master development vision covering the period 2008 to 2030 and which seeks to transform Kenya into a newly industrializing and middle-income country.
Successive governments have proposed radical measures and programmes called Medium Term Plans(MTP) to realise specific objectives of Vision 2030 with such initiatives tailored to cover election terms of five years.
President Ruto on Thursday unveiled the country's fourth MTP, his first since assuming office, covering 2023-2027 as he sought to align the Bottom-up Economic Transform Agenda (BETA) with Vision 2030.
The MTP IV also incorporates the County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs) that form the development blueprints for the 47 County Governments.
Speaking at State House, Ruto regretted that while past MTPs have made tremendous progress in realising Vision 2030 goals, the economy continues to grapple with fundamental challenges.
Ruto said the challenges bogging down the economy include widening inequality, low productivity, and susceptibility to economic shocks.
“These challenges demand urgent and resolute interventions to regain lost ground and align ourselves with our aspirations,’’ Ruto said.
“This is why upon assuming office, our administration pledged to spearhead a radical economic turnaround, fostering inclusive growth and enhancing the livelihoods and welfare of all citizens, particularly those at the bottom of the economic pyramid.”
Ruto revealed that the new MTP has translated the strategic objectives contained in his BETA agenda into concrete programmes and projects to be implemented by 2027.
He said the BETA plan calls for investments in five core strategic pillars of Agriculture, health care, Housing and Settlement, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Economy and the Digital Superhighway and Creative Economy.
“Without losing crucial time, the government has moved to undertake several interventions to fulfil the commitments made to our citizens,’’ Ruto said.
The president named 11 interventions his administration has done since assuming office in September 2022 to actualise the country’s broader Vision 2030 goals.
Ruto outlined the strengthening of the independence of the Judiciary and enhancing efficiency within the justice system as well as increased budgetary allocations to the Judiciary as some of his interventions.
He also identified his decision to grant financial autonomy to the Inspector-General of Police as another bold measure initiated by his government.
Others include reverting port operations for the Standard Gauge Railway from Nairobi Inland Container depot to Mombasa and rolling out the Hustler Fund.
Others are prioritising the enhancement of the Women Enterprise Fund progressively from Sh4.5 billion to Sh13.5 billion in the next 3 years and providing 5.5 million bags of subsidised fertiliser at Sh2,500 per bag.
Saying that the government has digitised over 15,000 Government services to enhance service delivery, Ruto noted that his administration has built 103,000 affordable housing units countrywide and recruited 56,000 teachers as part of the measures.
Others are remodelling of the university funding model, operationalisation of the National Open University, enactment of the Social Health Insurance Act (2023), rollout of Primary Health Care Networks and deployment of 100,000 Community Health Promoters
“During the Fourth Medium Term Plan, the government will boost production through a value chain approach targeting leather and leather products, textile and apparel, dairy, tea, rice, edible oils, blue economy, minerals, forestry, construction and building materials, among others,’’ Ruto said.
The Kenya Vision 2030 stands as the country’s ambitious long-term development blueprint, designed to elevate Kenya into a newly industrializing, middle-income country and ensure a high quality of life for all citizens by 2030.
Vision 2030 is grounded on economic, social, and political pillars, fortified by key enablers identified to propel us toward our collective aspirations
It is implemented through a series of successive five-year Medium-Term Plans.
The First MTP was simultaneously launched with the Vision covering 2008-2012.
The Second Medium Term Plan covered 2013-2017 while the third covered 2018-2022.
The fourth MTP launched by Ruto on Thursday covers 2023-2027 and marks the final five-year plan of the Kenya Vision 2030.