Ruto to opposition: Vision 2060 talks not about 2027 politics

President William Ruto has defended the proposed Vision 2060 dialogue, insisting it is a long-term national development agenda and not a disguised campaign for next year's election.

He accused opposition leaders of politicising an initiative he said was designed to shape Kenya's future beyond individual administrations.

Ruto spoke during a church service at ACK St Stephen's Chepkoilel in Uasin Gishu county on Sunday.

"It is not a conversation about 2027; it is about the future, and we are going to put it into law," the President said.

Ruto said the proposed dialogue would bring together Kenyans from all sectors to chart the country's long-term development path, just as former President Mwai Kibaki spearheaded Vision 2030.

"Last week I said we have an opportunity to have a conversation to plan for the country. Mwai Kibaki planned Vision 2030. We must have a vision, and we have enough reasons to have that discussion," he said.

He urged leaders and citizens to participate in the process, saying the goal was to build a prosperous nation and lift millions of Kenyans out of poverty.

"We cannot be a country where the majority live in poverty. We must make sure Kenya becomes a wealthy and prosperous nation," he said.

The President also defended some of his flagship programmes, including affordable housing and universal health coverage, saying they were aimed at improving the lives of ordinary Kenyans.

"There are leaders who have problems with me because I want to build affordable houses to get people out of slums and provide universal health coverage. The constitution does not envisage a poor country," he said.

Ruto announced that public consultations on Vision 2060 would begin on August 12, saying every Kenyan would have an opportunity to contribute ideas.

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen echoed the President's remarks, saying leaders opposed to the process should allow those interested in shaping the country's future to participate.

"I have some leaders saying they will not attend the talks. Who told them it is all about them? The vision is about the future," Murkomen said.

In Nairobi, Lang'ata MP Felix Odiwuor urged Kenyans to take part in the consultations, saying every generation must define its development priorities.

The proposed Vision 2060 has, however, drawn criticism from opposition leaders.

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has questioned the need for a new long-term blueprint before the full implementation of Vision 2030, arguing the government should first deliver on existing commitments.

People's Liberation Party leader Martha Karua has similarly said the government should prioritise immediate governance and economic challenges, while other opposition leaders have dismissed Vision 2060 as a distraction from issues such as the high cost of living, unemployment, healthcare funding and taxation.

Instant analysis

The debate over Vision 2060 is quickly evolving into a contest over priorities rather than planning. While the government argues that Kenya needs a long-term development blueprint beyond Vision 2030, the opposition says the focus should be on implementing existing plans and addressing immediate economic hardships. By insisting the dialogue is not about the 2027 election, President Ruto is attempting to frame the initiative as a national legacy project rather than a political campaign. Whether Kenyans embrace the process will largely depend on whether it produces practical solutions to today's challenges while building consensus on the country's long-term development path.