President William Ruto has announced a comprehensive 10-year national plan aimed at accelerating economic growth, industrialisation, and innovation across Kenya.
The blueprint focuses on four core areas: human capital, irrigation, energy, and transport, with an estimated cost of KSh 5 trillion over the next decade.
Speaking during the State of the Nation address, Ruto highlighted the government’s commitment to strengthening human capital through enhanced education reforms, expansion of STEM programmes, and a planned increase in the national research fund from 0.8% to 2% of GDP.
“Investing in skills and innovation will create a more competitive workforce and a stronger innovation ecosystem,” Ruto said.
On agriculture, the President detailed plans for 50 mega dams, 200 medium and small dams, and thousands of micro-dams to irrigate an additional 2.5 million acres of land.
The initiative targets arid regions, aiming to boost food security and promote agro-industrialisation, which has historically been constrained by unreliable water resources in counties such as Turkana, Kitui, and Machakos.
Energy expansion is also central to the strategy, with 10,000 MW of new renewable power projected to support manufacturing, artificial intelligence, data centres, e-mobility, and a modern digital economy.
This builds on past government efforts to diversify Kenya’s power sources and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Transport and logistics will see major upgrades, including dualing 2,500 km of highways, constructing 28,000 km of new roads, upgrading key corridors, enhancing Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Mombasa and Lamu ports, and extending the Standard Gauge Railway from Naivasha to Kisumu and Malaba.
The plan is expected to improve trade efficiency and regional connectivity, strengthening Kenya’s position as an East African transport hub.
Financing for the programme will rely on a combination of a National Infrastructure Fund, leveraging proceeds from privatisations and public-private partnerships, and a Sovereign Wealth Fund supported by natural resource royalties and select privatisation returns.
These mechanisms are designed to safeguard public finances while mobilising additional capital for long-term development.
Ruto’s address outlines a decade-long transformation agenda, reflecting continuity in Kenya’s development planning and aligning with previous national strategies focused on infrastructure, industrialisation, and human capital enhancement.
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