By James Shikwati* Economist James Shikwati asks whetherKenya's ambitious Vision 2030 plan can bring the country out of a cycle of corruption and economic stagnation. Since independence in 1963,Kenya's great development plans have been held back by the plunder of government resources. The attitude that what belongs to the public can be taken with impunity has been seen as one of the most serious impediments to development in the country - and by extension, the rest ofAfrica. Lawrence Reed, president of the Foundation for Economic Education, described it as: "What belongs to you, you tend to take care of; what belongs to no-one or everyone tends to fall into disrepair." A new constitutional order, however, has been created to reduce the arbitrary and discretionary powers used by politicians and civil servants to steal public money. Kenyans voted for the new constitutional order in August 2010 with the hope of liberating the country from a curious type of "state capture;" the system which has allowedKenya's leaders to commandeer state resources and keep power within ethnic boundaries. Boosting growth Dismantling the old structure will not happen overnight, however. Kenyans will have to try and adapt, and the changes to the way the country has been run will take some time to take effect. Vision 2030 is the name of the economic plan the country's leaders hope will be the country's great leap forward but it is not the country's first development plan. In 2003, the Kenyan government sought to boost an economy whose growth rate was low - only 1.1%. It put in place a short term initiative dubbed Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation. In 2005, a government-sponsored constitutional referendum aiming to overhaul areas such as land ownership and the president's executive power was proposed. Kenya's Sessional Paper No 10 in 1965 had directed the government to spend resources only in areas with high potential. The outcome was political exclusion and economic marginalisation of communities in the arid north and rural areas ofKenya, away from big cities such asNairobiandMombasa. In response, the government set up a National Economic and Social Council in October 2006 to overseeKenya's long-term planning. From this came "Kenya Vision 2030: A Globally Competitive and Prosperous Kenya".Kenya's Vision 2030 was launched by the country's coalition government on 10 June 2008. Technology hub Its intent was to changeKenya's political framework so that lawmakers were obliged to plan further into the future than the length of their own careers. Vision 2030's cost is yet to be finalised. It is based on three pillars - economic, social and political. The economic aim is for an average GDP growth rate of 10% per year from 2012 and to ensure all ofKenya's regions see development. The country's economy has grown at an average of 3.5% since 2008, below the sub-Saharan African average of 5.5%. The key elements ofKenya's economy include wholesale and retail, transport and communication, manufacturing, financial services and agriculture and forestry. The social pillar, meanwhile, is intended to build "a just and cohesive society with social equity", according to the plan's director general, Mugo Kibati. Kenyais preparing for elections, which are set for 4 March next year. The vote is expected to be a barometer measuring Vision 2030's ability to create a truly democratic political system respecting the rule of law and protecting the rights and freedoms of all Kenyans. The chair of Kenya's Vision 2030 Delivery Board, James Mwangi, argues that the initiative is yet to be felt by ordinary Kenyans because more emphasis has been put on infrastructure and institution building. [caption id="attachment_3687" align="alignright" width="300"] Revitalising Kenya's railway network will be a crucial part of the plan[/caption] The Vision 2030 initiative is keen to align with regional economic communities such as the East African Community, Common Market for Eastern andSouthern Africa(Comesa) and Community of Sahel-Saharan States among others. This has influenced key flagship projects includingLamuPortand the Lamu-Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor. When complete, this project is expected to connectKenyatoBanguiin theCentral African RepublicandDoualaacross the continent inCameroon. Other developments include: