President William Ruto has opened a national conversation on Kenya’s development priorities beyond Vision 2030, calling for a new blueprint that he says must be shaped by citizens rather than imposed by government.
But the launch of the process comes against a backdrop of growing criticism over the cost, financing and governance of some of the mega-projects undertaken under Vision 2030, with questions being raised about whether large public investments have always delivered value for money.
Speaking at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, Dr Ruto said Kenya had made “tremendous strides” since Vision 2030 was launched in 2008 by former President Mwai Kibaki.
“Across the country, we have witnessed the transformation of our infrastructure and the delivery of landmark projects, including the Lamu Port, the Isiolo-Moyale road, and the Nairobi Expressway, among others,” the President said.
“These achievements have expanded opportunity, strengthened connectivity and laid a strong foundation for our nation’s future.”
But as the country prepares to move beyond Vision 2030, critics argue that the next national development plan must learn from the shortcomings of the past, particularly how mega-projects have been conceived, financed, procured, and implemented.
Transparency International Kenya warned in June that Kenya’s large infrastructure projects remain exposed to corruption risks because of secrecy in procurement, weak oversight and limited public access to information.
Its assessment gave the Standard Gauge Railway a corruption vulnerability score of 4.49 out of five, describing the project as having very high overall vulnerabilities. The organisation also identified governance concerns in the Vihiga Affordable Housing Project and the Kiambu Civil Servants Housing Scheme.
The findings have added to longstanding concerns that mega-projects can become conduits for corruption, inflated costs, conflicts of interest and politically driven spending if adequate safeguards are not put in place.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission has similarly raised concerns about what it describes as elite capture and rent-seeking in major public investments, citing the SGR among projects where questions have been raised over costs and accountability.
A 2026 country assessment by the Bertelsmann Transformation Index also said implementation of Kenya’s long-term development priorities had been undermined by “widespread and endemic corruption, patronage, elite capture and short-term political deals”. It further noted that major investments in roads, railways and ports had been accompanied by corruption concerns, poor value for money and increased public debt.
The concerns provide a difficult backdrop to the President's call for another long-term national vision.
Dr Ruto said the next plan should not simply be another government document filled with targets.
“As Vision 2030 approaches the end of its course, we gathered at Nairobi's Kenyatta International Convention Centre to begin an important national conversation: What comes next?” he said.
“This is not simply a question about another plan or another set of targets. It is an invitation to imagine, together, the Kenya we want to become not only in the next decade, but also deep into the future.”
The President insisted that the new vision should be fundamentally different from previous government planning exercises.
“The defining character of this new endeavour must be that it is citizen-led and people-centred,” he said.
“It must draw its ambition, ideas and aspirations from the people of Kenya.”
He added: “Government will not prescribe this vision. Instead, it will only play a facilitative role, creating the space, platforms and institutions through which Kenyans can shape the future they desire.”
That promise of citizen participation could prove significant given criticism that some major infrastructure decisions have been made with limited public scrutiny.
TI-Kenya's latest assessment, for instance, cited inadequate public participation as one of the weaknesses exposing major projects to corruption risks. In the case of the Vihiga housing project, the organisation raised concerns over missing documentation, including feasibility studies, environmental assessments and Bills of Quantities, as well as potential conflicts of interest in procurement.
The challenge for the post-2030 framework will therefore be not only identifying new projects but also determining how public money will be protected during their implementation.
Kenya's infrastructure drive has delivered visible changes, but the country has also accumulated significant debt while financing roads, railways, ports and other projects.
The SGR remains one of the most prominent examples. The railway was conceived as a transformative regional infrastructure project, but its extension towards Uganda was delayed after financing arrangements changed. Kenya revived construction of part of the railway in 2026 using a different financing model after a six-year halt.
Critics have consequently argued that the next national vision must move away from measuring success simply by the number and size of projects launched.
Instead, they want greater emphasis on whether projects are economically viable, transparently procured, completed on time and capable of generating sufficient public benefit to justify their cost.
The debate comes as the government pursues new mechanisms for financing infrastructure without placing additional pressure on conventional public borrowing.
In March, the National Infrastructure Fund Act was signed into law, establishing a framework intended to finance major projects through alternative sources. The approach has, however, attracted scrutiny from analysts concerned about transparency and accountability.
For Dr Ruto, the next phase should be about imagination and long-term ambition.
“Our future must be designed through the collective imagination, wisdom and participation of the citizens — youth, entrepreneurs, farmers, workers, academia, civil society and religious groups, among others,” he said.
The President also recognised scholars involved in developing the intellectual foundation for the process.
“We are grateful to the team of distinguished scholars, led by Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o and Prof Hiroyuki Hino, for laying the intellectual foundation for this important conversation,” he said.
The debate now facing Kenya is therefore two-fold: what kind of country should emerge after Vision 2030, and how should the country ensure that the pursuit of that future does not repeat the governance and financing problems associated with some of its biggest investments?
