by Robert Manyara
NAIVASHA, Kenya, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Kenya said on Friday that election cycles and political activities will not affect implementation of Vision 2030 projects, the country's socio-economic blueprint aimed at transforming the East African nation into middle-income economy.
"There is no specific group that can claim ownership and neither is there a special group than can say Vision 2030 is not part of what we want," Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat Director General Julius Muia said in Naivasha.
Muia said the completion of Standard Gauge Railway within the stipulated timelines has given the secretariat more confidence of undertaking even bigger projects like the Lamu Port-Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor project, which is 10 times bigger in terms of investment value.
"This will open up two-thirds of the country's investment space to boost job creation and address high unemployment rates," said Muia on the sidelines of a two-day Knowledge Sharing Workshop in Naivasha that ended on Friday.
The event brings drafters and implementers of Vision 2030 together to guide a strategic path for projects execution in the medium term III.
Kenyan Cabinet has passed a rule that Vision 2030 is going to be the only development framework for Kenya.
"That is why we see progressively the Vision being entrenched as the framework for development in the medium term plans," said Muia.
Kenya International Convention Center (KICC) chief executive officer Nana Gecaga said mega Vision 2030 projects like the SGR is opening up business opportunities to key sectors of the economy.
Gecaga said the modern railway has a capacity to bridge a 60-percent gap in the country's events management business and contribute significantly to the tourism sector.
"It means now we have a package we can sell when we have delegates in the country. SGR will improve delegates experience because delegates are not only coming to Kenya for conferences but also want to visit a destination," said Gecaga.
