Kenya Vision 2030

Kenya Vision 2030 is the country’s development blueprint covering the period 2008 to 2030. Its objective is to help transform Kenya into a “middle-income country providing a high quality life to all its citizens by the year 2030”. Developed through an all-inclusive and participatory stakeholder consultative process, the Vision is based on three “pillars”: the economic, the social and the political. This Vision's adoption comes after the successful implementation of the Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation (ERS), responsible for the country’s GDP growth from a low of 0.6% and gradual rise to 6.1% in 2006.

Foundations

• Macro-economic stability for long-term development
• Continuity in Governance reforms
• Enhanced Equity and wealth creation opportunities for the poor
• Infrastructure
• Energy
• Science, Technology and Innovation (STI)
• Land Reform
• Human Resources Development
• Security

 Economic Pillar

This aims to improve the prosperity of all Kenyans through an economic development programme, covering all the regions of Kenya. It aims to achieve an average Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of 10% per annum beginning in 2012. To achieve this target, Kenya is continuing with the tradition of macro-economic stability that has been established since 2002. It is also addressing other key constraints, notably, a low savings to GDP ratio, which can be alleviated by drawing in more remittances from Kenyans abroad, as well as increased foreign investment and overseas development assistance (ODA).
Delivering the country’s ambitious growth aspirations required a rise of national savings from 17% in 2006 to about 30% in 2012. It was also found necessary to deal with a significant informal economy employing 75% of the country’s workers. The informal sector is being supported in ways that will raise productivity and distribution and increase jobs, owner’s incomes and public revenues. The country is continuing with the governance and institutional reforms necessary to accelerate economic growth. Others critical problems being addressed include poor infrastructure and high energy costs. The six key sectors described below are being given priority as the key growth drivers for achievement of the economic vision:

• Tourism
• Increasing value in Agriculture
• A better and more inclusive wholesale and retail trade sector
• Manufacturing for the regional market
• BPO
• Financial Services

 Social Pillar

Through this strategy, Kenya aims to build a just and cohesive society with social equity in a clean and secure environment. This strategy makes special provisions for Kenyans with various disabilities (PWDs) and previously marginalized communities. These policies (and those in the economic pillar) are equally anchored on an all-round adoption of science, technology and innovation (STI) as an implementation tool.
Key sectors:

• Education & Training
• The Health System
• Water and Sanitation
• The Environment
• Housing and Urbanisation
• Gender, Youth and Vulnerable Groups
• Equity and Poverty Elimination

Political Pillar

This aims to realise a democratic political system founded on issue-based politics that respects the rule of law, and protects the rights and freedoms of every individual in Kenyan society. It hopes to transform Kenya into a state in which equality is entrenched, irrespective of one’s race, ethnicity, religion, gender or socio-economic status; a nation that respects and harnesses the diversity of its peoples’ values, traditions and aspirations for the benefit of all its citizens.
The political pillar vision for 2030 is “a democratic political system that is issue-based, people-centered, result-oriented and accountable to the public”. An issue-based system is one in which political differences are about means to meet the widest public interest. “People-centered” goals refer to the system’s responsiveness to the needs and rights of citizens, whose participation in all public policies and resource allocation processes is both fully appreciated and facilitated. A result-oriented system is stable, predictable and whose performance is based on measurable outcomes. An accountable system is one that is open and transparent and one that permits free flow of information. This vision is expected to guarantee Kenya’s attainment of the specific goals outlined under Vision 2030’s economic and social pillars
To meet objectives outlined in the economic and social pillars, Kenya’s national governance system is being transformed and reformed to acquire high-level executive capability consistent with a rapidly industrializing country. The country is adopting a democratic decentralization process with substantial devolution in policy-making, public resource management and revenue sharing through devolved funds. This has been achieved through a delivery of a new constitutional dispensation which came in effect in August 2010.
Transformation within Kenya’s political governance system under Vision 2030 is expected to take place across six strategic initiatives, whose overarching visions, goals and specific strategies for 2012 are as follows:

• Rule of Law
• Electoral & Political Processes
• Democracy and Public Service Delivery
• Transparency and Accountability
• Security, Peace building and conflict management

Guiding Principles

To ensure that economic, social and political governance gains made under the Vision are neither reversed nor lost as a result of change in ruling parties, the following eight governance principles will be adhered to:

1. Constitutional supremacy: Supremacy of the constitution shall be respected at all times. This will guarantee individual rights as stated in the Bill of Rights and the property rights of Kenyan and international investors.
2. Sovereignty of the people: This calls for the acknowledgment of the fact that in a constitutional democracy like Kenya, the government derives all its just powers from the people it governs.
3. Equality of citizens: Kenya shall be a nation that treats its women and men equally. It will not discriminate any citizen on the basis of gender, race, tribe, religion or ancestral origin.
4. National values, goals and ideology: In the pursuit of economic, social and political aspirations, Kenyans shall formulate and adopt a core set of national values, goals and a political ideology supportive of Vision 2030, these will include acknowledgement of the significance of God to the Kenyan people and an affirmation of the religious, cultural and ethnic diversity of Kenyans. It will also affirm the indivisibility of Kenya as a nation and her commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
5. A viable political party system: Kenya aims at a strong and viable political party system that will be guided by policy and ideological differences rather than region of ethnicity. Under Vision 2030, founding of political parties on religious, linguistic, racial, ethnic, gender, corporate or regional basis will be prohibited. This is in line with the just enacted Political Parties Bill. All political parties will be obliged to subscribe to a legally-binding Code of Conduct. There will be a clear definition of circumstances under which a party may be de-registered or reinstated. The delegation of state functions to (or the use of state resources by) political parties will not be permitted. Political parties will be required to publish their manifestos before participating in elections.
6. Public participation in governance: Kenyans shall appreciate the values of tolerance and respect for differences in opinion in a competitive society.
7. Separation of powers: The implementation of Vision 2030 depends on the enhancement of the capacity of the three arms of government (Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary). These institutions are independently functioning in a manner that enhances the implementation of Vision 2030.
8. Decentralisation: Vision 2030 uses devolved funds to strengthen decentralization of development projects at the community level. Improved planning and coordination of such projects at the local level will be accorded priority in realizing this goal.

 Implementation

A Semi Autonomous Government Agency (SAGA) with the requisite capacity has been established to oversee the implementation of all the Vision 2030 projects. The agency works closely in collaboration with government ministries and departments as well as the private sector, civil society and other relevant stakeholder groups. The strategies to deliver the 10% annual growth by 2012 is being executed through concrete flagship projects across the priority sectors in all the three pillars of the Vision. The projects are original large-scale initiatives that look beyond their immediate locality and are capable of having an impact on the entire nation. Flagship projects form part of the national development with complementary projects being undertaken in line with the Medium-Term Plans, the Budget Outlook Paper, and the Medium- Term Expenditure Framework.
During the life of the Vision, strategies and action plans are expected to be systematically reviewed and adjusted every 5 years in order to effectively respond to the changing global, regional and local environment. The Vision 2030 is being delivered over many different horizons and flagship projects, each with defined goals. Following the expiry of the ERS in December 2007, the first part of Vision 2030 is now being implemented under the 2008-2012 plan.