Aldai MP and former Deputy President’s Chief of Staff, Marianne Kitany, has assessed Kenya’s progress on the Vision 2030 development agenda, noting significant gains politically and socially but lagging economic growth.
Speaking on a local TV station on August 13, 2026, Kitany acknowledged that the political pillar has advanced considerably, with some evaluations rating progress above 80%, marking it as one of the strongest areas of Vision 2030.
On the social front, she recognized improvements especially in housing and healthcare, citing initiatives like the Social Housing Programme (SHA) as contributing to these gains.
Economic Growth Remains a Concern
Despite these advances, Kitany identified the economic pillar as the most challenging. She pointed out that while Vision 2030 aimed for a 10% annual GDP growth, Kenya’s current rate hovers around 4.5 to 5%, falling short of expectations.
She urged that the remaining years to 2030 should focus on accelerating economic transformation by boosting manufacturing, industrialisation, and value addition.
Industrial Sector Challenges
Kitany expressed concern over the decline of traditional industrial hubs, describing Nairobi’s Industrial Area as a "ghost town" due to factory closures and reduced activity.
To counter this, the government is promoting decentralisation of manufacturing through County Aggregation and Industrial Parks, with several counties nearing completion of such facilities.
However, Kitany emphasized that merely constructing these parks is insufficient; they must be fully equipped and operational to drive manufacturing productivity and value addition.
Call for Stronger Policy Implementation
As Kenya approaches the final phase before 2030, Kitany stressed the importance of rigorous enforcement of existing policies and legislation to fast-track economic growth and meet Vision 2030 objectives.
"There is a lot that needs to be done so that we are able to achieve that Vision 2030," she concluded.
