NAIROBI, Kenya – President William Ruto has officially kicked off the search for Kenya’s next long-term development blueprint, declaring that Vision 2030 is approaching its “sunset” and challenging the country to begin imagining what it would take to become a first-world nation.
Speaking at State House on Monday while receiving a strategic proposal titled “Developing a New Vision for Kenya: Towards a First World Nation – Strategic Guidelines for Long-Term National Transformation,” Ruto said Kenya’s next phase of development must outlive political administrations and be anchored on national consensus rather than electoral cycles.
“Every national vision eventually reaches its sunset. As Vision 2030 approaches its conclusion, the responsibility now falls upon our generation to imagine what comes next,” the President said.
The proposal was prepared by a team of leading scholars led by Prof. Hiroyuki Hino, Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o, Prof. Michael Chege, Prof. Karuti Kanyinga and Prof. Peter Wanyande, among others.
A Vision Beyond Elections
Ruto argued that Kenya must abandon the culture of changing development priorities whenever governments change, saying sustainable prosperity depends on continuity.
“Development cannot be the project of one administration, nor should every election require us to abandon one national vision and begin another.”
He said the government would now study the recommendations, engage stakeholders across the country and eventually unveil a new long-term national development agenda to succeed Vision 2030.
According to the President, the process will involve universities, research institutions, businesses, county governments, professional bodies, religious organisations and communities.
Foundations Already Being Built
Ruto said the groundwork for the country’s next development chapter had already begun through his administration’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
He cited the establishment of the National Infrastructure Fund and the Sovereign Wealth Fund as key institutions designed to finance Kenya’s future competitiveness and preserve wealth for future generations.
The President said both institutions had now been established in law, with the National Infrastructure Fund’s board already appointed and operationalisation expected soon.
“These institutions form part of a broader strategy that is already guiding Kenya’s long-term transformation into a competitive first-world country.”
Uhuru, Raila Conversations
In a notable reference to his predecessors and political rivals, Ruto disclosed that consultations on Kenya’s future included discussions with former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
He said Raila consistently emphasised that no nation develops without inclusivity and unity in diversity, while Uhuru stressed the importance of continuity in national development and building on existing foundations.
The President said those conversations reinforced the belief that countries transform by imagining futures greater than their present circumstances and pursuing them with discipline and consistency.
Government to Review Proposal
While welcoming the report, Ruto said it should not be viewed as a final policy document but as the beginning of a national conversation.
He described the proposal as an important scholarly contribution that challenges existing assumptions and broadens thinking about Kenya’s future.
“Its value lies not in providing every answer, but in asking important questions, challenging our assumptions, broadening our thinking and enriching our reflection on the choices that will shape Kenya’s future.”
The government, he said, would carefully analyse the recommendations before outlining the roadmap for Kenya’s next long-term national vision.
‘The Next Chapter Begins Today’
Ruto concluded by urging Kenyans to actively participate in shaping the country’s post-2030 future, saying the responsibility could not be left to government alone.
“The next chapter of Kenya’s development cannot be written by Government. It must be shaped by the collective wisdom, experience and participation of the people.”
He added that the presentation marked “not the end of this process, but its beginning,” signalling the start of what could become Kenya’s most ambitious long-term planning exercise since the launch of Vision 2030 nearly two decades ago.