Food security, manufacturing, affordable housing and health care - the Big Four, which are President Kenyatta's main focus in his last term - look good on paper but are difficult to implement.
Looking at the remaining years, it is doubtful any of the agenda will be achieved. It won't happen because there is no policy to commit and assign roles to steer implementation.
There is also ineffective engagement with key players like the counties, the private sector and the population.
To start with, health is a devolved function, therefore, counties are at the centre of its success or failure. The government needs to have a policy framework that ropes in the counties. They should address all the bottlenecks holding back delivery of services, for instance, dilapidated infrastructure, industrial strikes and resources strains. The policy should spell out terms of engagement and assign timeliness and duties.
On housing and manufacturing, the counties play a role - because those with housing needs and those who need jobs reside in the counties. There is a need for private-public partnership.
This agenda needs a lot of finances and it can be driven through the private sector. Currently, it seems the government is driving the agenda on its own. To win over the private sector, there is a need for incentives and removal of red tape that scares away investment.
For food security, we need to shift from rain-fed agriculture to irrigation and other modern farming options. This can only be achieved through subsidies on farm inputs and attracting large scale farmers. Better land use planning is essential.
It is useless for the government to have grandiose plans if the citizens don't buy the idea. Therefore there is a need for serious public awareness to inform citizen participation, which is key to driving the agenda.
Of paramount importance is to seal all loopholes by walking the talk in the war against corruption. Public money meant for these projects must be used for intended purposes. Contracts should be awarded to the most qualified persons who can deliver.
The development and governance expert spoke to the Star