KEPSA CEO confident of 2030 vision achievement

Carole Kariuki, the recently appointed chairperson of the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Board, expressed optimism that the Secretariat would be able to accomplish its many social, economic, and political goals within the next eight years.

Kariuki urged all Kenyans to support their different activities under the social, economic, and political pillars as patriots, with the emphasis now shifting to the private sector’s participation in achieving its vision 2030 goals.

In July this year, Kariuki who also serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), was appointed to a three-year term.

She succeeds Jane Karuku, who was the CEO and Group Managing Director of East African Breweries Ltd.

Kariuki remarked that the private sector has been integral to the Vision 2030 effort from the start and that it has a significant influence on the National Business Agenda at KEPSA in her post-first-board-meeting remarks.

“I therefore regard my responsibility as being essential to continue the work started by my predecessors, as we ensure that no Kenyan is left behind in this progress,” she said.

“Since the private sector is the backbone of the economy, it continues to serve as the main pillar for achieving landmark projects under Vision 2030 as well as other public and private collaborations. To ensure that Kenyans not only see but also feel the advantages of this progress, we will intensify our collaboration with county, national, and other non-state actors on policy, law, and other interventions,” she added.

Kenneth Mwige, Director General of Kenya Vision 2030, stated that Kariuki’s appointment demonstrates the government’s increased emphasis on the private sector, which is consistent with the priorities of the Kenya Kwanza Administration on enhancing the role of the private sector in the country’s economy.

The National Treasury’s Public-Private Partnership directorate was recently revived, and the Public Private Partnership Act 2021 was passed as a result, the private sector is now expected to contribute, building on the admirable and well-established foundations already established by the government.

While handing over the keys on behalf of the departing Chair, Nik Nesbit, the chairman of the Capital Markets Authority and outgoing Board Director, expressed his encouragement with the Delivery Board’s zeal to take the required steps to fulfill the 2030 vision goals.

“There is still a ton of work to be done. The old board is confident in the Secretariat’s capacity to carry out its duties, and it proudly hands over leadership of Vision 2030 to the new Chairperson, who brings with her a lot of experience in private sector leadership,” he said.

The Kenya Kwanza economic manifesto will be incorporated into the department’s economic Medium-Term Plan (MTP) 4 (2023–2027), according to Planning Principal Secretary (PS), Saitoti Torome.

“A criterion has already been developed to choose the MTP’s main initiatives for Vision 2030. This is crucial because it will influence how the counties implement the MTP, capturing areas the government has already identified for priority actions like food security, SME credit and access to finance, affordable farm inputs, digitization of government services, as well as Universal Healthcare and others that will go live in due course,” said the official.

Dr. Kevit Desai, PS from the State Department for the East African Community, and Joseph Tiampati, the departing board member who represented the private sector among several departmental members, were also present at the ceremony.

Kenya Vision 2030 is the nation’s long-term development blueprint, with the goal of making Kenya a globally competitive and successful country by 2030, with a high standard of living for all residents in a safe and secure environment.

In order to achieve the overall goals and objectives of Vision 2030 and its medium-term plans, the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat (VDS) offers strategic leadership and coordination.