By Dr. Kariuki Muigua, PhD (Leading Environmental Law Scholar, Policy Advisor, Natural Resources Lawyer and Dispute Resolution Expert from Kenya), Winner of Kenya’s ADR Practitioner of the Year 2021, ADR Publisher of the Year 2021 and CIArb (Kenya) Lifetime Achievement Award 2021.*

Kenya’s Vision 2030 is the long-term development blueprint for the country and is motivated by a collective aspiration for a better society by the year 2030. The aim of Kenya Vision 2030 is to create “a globally competitive and prosperous country with a high quality of life by 2030”. It aims to transform Kenya into “a newly-industrialising, middle income country providing a high quality of life to all its citizens in a clean and secure environment.” The economic, social and political pillars of Kenya Vision 2030 are anchored on the foundations of macroeconomic stability; infrastructural development; Science, Technology and Innovation (STI); Land Reforms; Human Resources Development; Security and Public Sector Reforms.

The Vision 2030 is to be implemented through successive five-year medium term plans. The current stage of implementation is the Third Medium Term Plan (MTP III) 2018-2022 whose theme is dubbed Transforming Lives: Advancing socio-economic development through the “Big Four.” The Second Medium Term Plan (MTP II) 2013-2017 was meant to achieve progress in development and modernization of infrastructure, improved security, human resource development, job creation, expanding access to affordable health care, and in modernizing the country’s public services. As to whether the progress in these areas was felt across the country remains both a development and political question. Currently, Kenya is thus pursuing the ‘BIG FOUR’ Agenda that seeks to ensure universal health coverage, affordable and decent housing, to increase the manufacturing contribution to the economy from 9.8 per cent to 15 per cent and guarantee food and nutrition security by 2022.

The Kenya government’s projects under the Big Four Agenda were allocated $4.3 billion from the $28 billion 2019/2020 budget. Universal health coverage got $906 million; manufacturing $40.8 million; affordable housing $183 million; and food and nutrition security $177 million.28 As already pointed out, the Agenda 2063 focuses on several areas of development including but not limited to: Sustainable and inclusive economic growth; Human Capital Development; Agriculture/value addition and agro-businesses development; Employment generation, especially the youth and females; Social Protection; Gender/Women development and youth empowerment; Good governance including capable institutions; Infrastructural development; Science, Technology, Innovation; Manufacturing-based industrialization; Peace and Security; and Culture, Arts and Sports.

These development themes notably overlap at the national and continental levels and it can thus be argued that the achievement of the national plans can greatly succeed by building synergies with the continental implementation plans especially as captured in the Agenda 2063 First Ten-year Implementation Plan 2014-2023. The dream of a successful continent can only be achieved through ensuring that the member States are not only supporting the realisation of Agenda 2063 but also ensuring that their national development plans are in harmony with the Agenda and that they are actually achieved not just a matter of wishful thinking. Kenya’s key development issues are especially among those given prominence in the Africa’s Agenda 2063. These include infrastructure, health, manufacturing, affordable housing and food and nutrition security, amongst others. Africa’s Agenda 2063 has set forth certain milestones related to integration, prosperity, and African ownership of its development programmes.

Further milestones are related to structural transformation, human development, good governance and on innovation and technology transfer. Some of the most significant milestones on innovation and technology transfer are building a better infrastructure, engineering and manufacturing base that shows significant increase in local content and input, increased science, technology and innovation (STI) output at national and regional levels and increased human capacity for science and technology and stimulating entrepreneurship through an increased number of added value products and services. Infrastructure is considered as bedrock for development, whereby, as an essential part of a supportive environment for investment and livelihood, adequate infrastructure promotes economic growth, reduces poverty, and improves delivery of health and other services.

A survey by Afrobarometer, a pan-African, non-partisan research network that conducts public attitude surveys on democracy, governance, economic conditions, and related issues across more than 30 countries in Africa, reported that provision of basic service infrastructure remains a challenge. On average across 35 African countries, only about two-thirds of citizens live in communities with an electric grid (65%) and/or piped water infrastructure (63%), and less than one in three have access to sewerage (30%). More than three times as many have access to cell phone service (93%), while about half (54%) live in zones with tarred or paved roads. Rural residents continue to be severely disadvantaged in most countries, with urban-rural gaps of more than 40 percentage points in the average availability of an electric grid, sewerage, and piped water infrastructure. This is despite the high priority assigned to infrastructure by both citizens and their governments in many African countries. Nevertheless, access to basic services remains highly variable across countries and regions.

Africa is considered as the continent with the world’s highest mortality rates, and it is the only continent where deaths from infectious disease still outnumber deaths from chronic disease. Indeed, Sub-Saharan Africans’ overall evaluation of their well-being has been reported to be lower than that of any other population in the world. The Low well-being is also largely attributed to low incomes in sub-Saharan Africa. Arguably, this is an indication of the interconnectedness of the various socio-economic rights and thus the need for an integrated approach to development.

The Government of Kenya’s Sector Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation 2013-2017 recognises that Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) play a pivotal role in the industrialization, sustainable development and growth of nations. Investments and integration of ST&I into social, economic and governance policies is expected to increase Kenya’s global competitiveness, create employment and increase productivity. This was developed in line with the recognition that the Kenya Vision 2030 and the Constitution explicitly place a premium on the generation and management of a knowledge-based economy and the need to raise productivity and efficiency.

While Kenya has made significant progress in the area of science, technology and innovation, it is worth pointing out that this is a sector that requires cooperation among countries especially if the same is to be used to promote and sustain cross-border trade. Also closely related to this is manufacturing and value addition. This will go a long way in enhancing national incomes as well as boosting agricultural production. Investing in people and technology transfer from developed states will boost Africa’s manufacturing industries. Value addition for agricultural produce will also boost Africa’s standing at the global platform as far as trade and commerce are concerned.

This is why Agenda 2063’s focus on promoting the growth and development of science, technology and innovation is a welcome move that requires goodwill and concerted efforts of all stakeholders. Both Agenda 2063 and Kenya’s Vision 2030 seek to promote environmental rule of law which is central to sustainable development, a concept that seeks to integrate environmental needs with the essential elements of the rule of law, and provides the basis for improving environmental governance. However, while the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and other post constitution statutes and policy documents recognise the centrality of sustainable development, Kenya still has a long way to go in achieving sustainable production and development practices.

Agenda 2063 seeks to promote environmentally sustainable climate and resilient economies and communities. Arguably, this will not be achieved unless individual states put in place national measures geared towards this. Individual efforts coupled with concerted efforts from all African governments will ensure that Africa achieves its targets under Agenda 2063 as well as United Nations Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development. Sustainable agricultural production features in both AU Agenda 2063 and Kenya’s Agenda 2030.

If the African continent is to guarantee food and nutritional security for its people, then there must be cooperation amongst states in research and tackling infrastructure challenges that make it difficult to access and/or distribute food across countries and regions. Boosting agricultural production also requires land reforms across various states. There is need for supporting the agricultural sector through modern methods of production, guaranteeing farmers protection from foreign invasion of markets especially those outside Africa, good infrastructure, investing in value addition and enhancing national food storage and preservation facilities, amongst others.

Gender parity is a subject that is still relevant not only in Kenya but across many African societies. Investing in both men and women will go a long way in realisation of Africa’s development agenda. Putting in place empowerment measures such as fair labour practices and protection from all forms of violence is important. While having domestic laws on gender equality and equity is important, there is need for strong reporting mechanisms within the Agenda 2063 implementation framework, in order to ensure that no state is left behind as far as this issue is concerned. Some parts of Kenya and Africa in general still suffer violence and general insecurity. Some concerted efforts towards promoting peace and stability in the continent are still required as a basis for meaningful development.

Africa is a Continent that is rich in natural resources and cultural diversity amongst its many communities. However, it has lagged behind in development and protection of its riches both in terms of diverse communities and source of wealth for the rest of the world. Agenda 2063 promises to coordinate the various countries’ development agenda through outlining a development blueprint that should be used as a yardstick to ensure that the Continent moves forward as one. Kenya can work closely with other states to not only realize this Agenda but to also benefit from the same. Africa as a continent can certainly achieve the vision of prosperity. There is a lot for Kenya in this dream. Kenya can contribute and benefit from the realisation of Africa’s Agenda 2063.

*This article is an extract from the Article “Africa’s Agenda 2063: What is in it for Kenya?” by Dr. Kariuki Muigua, PhD, Kenya’s ADR Practitioner of the Year 2021 (Nairobi Legal Awards), ADR Publisher of the Year 2021 and ADR Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 (CIArb Kenya). Dr. Kariuki Muigua is a foremost Environmental Law and Natural Resources Lawyer and Scholar, Sustainable Development Advocate and Conflict Management Expert in Kenya. Dr. Kariuki Muigua is a Senior Lecturer of Environmental Law and Dispute resolution at the University of Nairobi School of Law and The Center for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP). He has published numerous books and articles on Environmental Law, Environmental Justice Conflict Management, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Sustainable Development. Dr. Muigua is also a Chartered Arbitrator, an Accredited Mediator, the Africa Trustee of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Managing Partner of Kariuki Muigua & Co. Advocates. Dr. Muigua is recognized among the top 5 leading lawyers and dispute resolution experts in Kenya by the Chambers Global Guide 2022.

References

Muigua, K., “Africa’s Agenda 2063: What is in it for Kenya?” Available at: http://kmco.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Africa%E2%80%99s-Agenda-2063-What-is-in-it-for-Kenya-Kariuki-Muigua-28th-June-2019.pdf (accessed on 21st May 2022).