Inside Ruto's Sh2.3 trillion master plan to transform Kenya

President William Ruto during Church service at AIC Sugutek, Soy Constituency in Uasin Gishu County. [PCS] 

It will take President William Ruto seven years and more than Sh2.3 trillion to make the Kenya Kwanza manifesto a reality, according to an Executive report presented during the Cabinet retreat in Naivasha on Tuesday.

The report explains that implementation of the first phase of the master plan will start with the FY2022/23 Programmes Project Budget which are projected to cost Sh220,289,288,763.

“The FY2022/23 Programmes Project Budget is Sh220,289,288,763. These initiatives, with an average age of 6.8 years, face challenges in adaptability and responsiveness,” the report said.

Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza plan encompasses various sectors, including healthcare, education, social protection, constitutional matters, women’s agenda, ICT, housing, settlement, manufacturing, and agriculture. Some of the projects under this plan are being threatened owing a number of court cases challenging some of them. One of the reasons some of the projects have been challenged in court is because they have led to an increase in taxation.

In the healthcare sector, the plan focuses on achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by enrolling all Kenyans, increasing community healthcare providers, and establishing a Health Service Commission.

Challenges in the education sector are being addressed through measures to tackle teacher shortages, establishing a special service tariff, and enhancing the capacity of day secondary schools. Social protection initiatives include NHIF coverage for senior citizens and PWDs.

“We have a historic moment to take Kenya where it should be. This is our time to step forward and offer leadership. Through bold decisions, we will transform our country,” said President Ruto in Naivasha on Wednesday.

The report emphasised the need address challenges facing the programmes under this plan to enhance efficiency, optimise resources, and align outcomes with evolving priorities.

According to the plan, the president wants to address constitutional matters through measures such as equipping the Attorney General’s office and strengthening devolution.

The women’s agenda involves financial and capacity-building support, implementation of the two-thirds gender rule, and a social welfare fund for Kenyan women working abroad.

“In the ICT sector, the plan commits five per cent of the Hustler Fund to support Kenyan ICT start-ups, build ICT labs and incubators, and roll out fibre connectivity to enhance digital infrastructure,” states the plan. The housing and settlement component aims to address the housing deficit through public-private partnerships. Manufacturing and agriculture initiatives focus on enhancing local production capacity and ensuring food security.

“At the end of the Second National Executive Retreat in Naivasha, Nakuru County, we affirmed our administration’s commitment to tackling corruption by challenging CSs and PSs to be responsible for their decisions,” Ruto said.

The Executive Brief revealed that the government has achieved 171 milestones and made 186 commitments under the UDA manifesto, emphasising the importance of addressing challenges for successful policy implementation.

Enablers such as the policy framework, bilateral agreements, and a strategic budget overseen by the Cabinet Office were highlighted in the report.