Forget 2060, what are you doing today? Gachagua questions Ruto's ambitious vision

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has intensified his criticism against President William Ruto’s Vision 2060 initiative, questioning the value of a decades-long development plan while Kenyans grapple with dire economic and security concerns.

Speaking in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, on Sunday, Gachagua argued that the government should prioritise problems affecting livelihoods today, particularly in agriculture, instead of asking Kenyans to focus on three-decade long vision.

He stated that the government should focus on aiding rice, maize, tea and dairy farmers are struggling with falling earnings, market challenges and the rising cost of production.

“Farmers in Mwea and Ahero do not want to hear about Vision 2060. They want the government to stop importing rice so that locally produced rice can be bought here in Kenya. They need that money now to educate their children,” Gachagua said.

The former DP also raised concerns over the fortunes of maize farmers in Bomet, Olenguruone and other producing areas, alleging that some had suffered major crop losses after using poor-quality fertiliser.

He claimed losses in some areas were as high as 70 per cent and challenged the government to explain what interventions were being put in place for affected farmers.

Gachagua also criticised the 0.8 per cent tea levy, arguing that additional costs could discourage buyers and eventually eat into farmers’ annual bonuses.

In Nyandarua, he raised the closure of the New KCC processing plant in Nyahururu as another example of what he described as the government’s failure to address immediate economic problems.

He claimed some dairy farmers had gone for four months without payment and alleged that the processor was being deliberately allowed to collapse before being taken over by private interests.

He also questioned what President Ruto's government is doing to tame the rising insecurity, citing reports of commuters being attacked and robbed near the SGR section of the Nairobi Expressway.

“Kenyans want to know when these goons will be dealt with. Stop telling people about Vision 2060 and tell them what you are doing today,” he said.

Gachagua further challenged the government to explain its preparedness for heavy rains and possible flooding, saying communities in vulnerable areas needed assurances that measures were being taken to protect lives and property.

He also accused the government of failing to contain illicit alcohol in parts of the Central region, saying illegal brews had resurfaced despite previous efforts to eradicate them.

His remarks come days after President Ruto launched the process of developing Vision 2060, which is expected to succeed Vision 2030 as Kenya’s long term development blueprint.

The government says the framework will be developed through nationwide consultations bringing together the private sector, academia, civil society, faith based organisations, professional bodies, workers, creatives and young people.

Gachagua has instead urged some of those groups to boycott the consultations, maintaining that the exercise risks diverting attention from challenges requiring immediate intervention.

Gachagua has stepped up his opposition to Ruto's administration ahead of the 2027 General Election, planning to stage a stiff contention to unseat President Ruto.

He has pledged to work with other opposition leaders towards fielding a single presidential candidate to challenge Ruto, making the debate over Vision 2060 an emerging political fault line between the government’s long-term development agenda and an opposition increasingly focused on the administration’s record today.