Daily News  :: East Africa

Nairobi - Kenya was working on an economic development blueprint to turn the country into a middle-income economy by 2030, a senior official said on Sunday.

According to Francis Muthaura, head of public service and secretary to the cabinet, the "Kenya Vision 2030" document has been completed and would be reviewed over the next three months.

"Through this strategy, the government is confident of systematically executing economic development in a sustainable manner in the next 20 years," he explained.

The official said government had finalised evaluation bids from leading consulting firms on the vision, and was in the process of awarding contracts.

The strategy initiated by the National Economic and Social Council was conceived in 2004 at a meeting chaired by President Mwai Kibaki.

Officials said it was modelled after the concepts that saw the economic growth of the East Asian Tigers.

Muthaura said the vision would take Kenya to a new economic level, especially with the expiry of the country's economic recovery strategy for wealth and employment creation in 2007.

"The strategy is expected to increase the country's overall economic growth rate," he said, adding that it would be institutionalised and insulated from "political competitions". -panapress