THE PROPOSED RIFT VALLEY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (RVDA): THE ECONOMIC STRATEGIC PLAN 2013-2023 Rift Valley Professionals Forum & Rift Valley Youth Forum E-mail addresses: [email protected] [email protected] © 2011 Rift Valley Youth Forum Rift Valley Professionals Forum & ii Rift Valley Youth Forum SPECIAL REQUESTS Rift Valley Councilors, Pastors, University/College student leaders, Opinion leaders, Business persons (especially television, radio, musicians- educative music compositions, photocopy and hotel operators), Community Based Organizations and other well wishers & sponsors are requested to avail the economic strategic plan to their members/Rift Valley residents, interpret for them and subsequently collect their inputs and send to us for consideration in the reviews. Rift Valley professionals and Youth are also called upon to register [County name] Professional Forum and [County name] Youth Forum for the purpose of promotion of adoption and implementation of the strategic plan, in addition to co-posting of documents that include this economic strategic plan and its key reference materials. Rift Valley law professionals willing to volunteer in drafting legislation(s) bill(s) herein indicated to be introduced in County Assembly or Parliament, are requested to send us their expression to volunteer, indicating the specific legislation(s) bill(s) to draft and drafting timelines. All the drafted legislations bills will be posted promptly. Interest groups, professionals and Youth residing in other economic regions are highly encouraged to study the strategic plan and utilize it in development of strategic plan applicable nation wide or in their region of residence. Rift Valley residents, Kenyans in general, concerned foreign states’ consular & diplomatic representatives and other stakeholders are called upon to review the economic strategic plan and kindly submit your inputs and comments via our contacts by 31st December, 2011. Rift Valley Professionals Forum & iii Rift Valley Youth Forum COPYRIGHT Developing Forums: Rift Valley Professionals Forum & Rift Valley Youth Forum Donated by: Rift Valley Professionals Forum & Rift Valley Youth Forum Donated to: Rift Valley Community and beyond as service to humanity, social responsibility and thanks giving Our Ref: UNS/CN/CIN/RVPF-RVYF/001/2011 First published by Rift Valley Youth Forum on 24th September, 2011 Rift Valley Professionals Forum & Rift Valley Youth Forum © 2011 Rift Valley Youth Forum Rift Valley Professionals Forum & iv Rift Valley Youth Forum FORWARD Here-is proposed establishment of a participatory developmental scheme for Rift Valley Community and beyond, based on public – private partnership principles, with the public partner subsidizing the investment operational costs of the private investors for a tune of up to 30%. It is aimed at socio-economic development and promotion of social integration & cohesion in Rift Valley Community and beyond. Conceptualization of the scheme has been catalyzed by practical experience in the side of Rift Valley Community members - in terms of difficulty in securing employment/investment opportunities, high cost of consumer goods/food, poor farm production, lack of beneficial market for farm produce, constrains in public amenities and continuous uncontrolled subdivision of agricultural land due to population expansion. The economic strategic plan is based on sustainable up-scaling of the millennium village project to regional level and the economic transformation programs of Malaysia, Singapore and China. The constitution of Kenya, successful millennium village projects reports - sustainable and scaling the millennium villages: moving from rural investment to national development plans to reach the MDGs, sessional paper no. 3 of 2009 on national land policy, mutual consultations, news rooms & newspapers and other literature resources informed the development process. The proposed developments are modeled on the Nairobi Metropolitan Development Authority (NMDA) structures proposed by the ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development - Kenya, and the currently up-coming public and private sector developed dynamic and mixed-use cities and resorts exemplified by Kilamba Kiaxi - Angola, Konza Technology City www.konzacity.co.ke , the famous Tatu City www.tatucity.com, Sergoit Golf & Wildlife Resort www.sergoit.co.ke, Migaa www.migaa.com and Thika Greens’ residential resort www.thikagreens.co.ke. Such developments indicate the direction of investment opportunities and wealth creation. All participatory socio-economic development scheme like the one proposed here-is enhances human dignity, equity, social integration, social justice, inclusiveness, equality, human rights, non-discrimination and protection of the poor and disadvantaged/marginalized groups in the society. The proposed logo is modeled on athlete’s talent and emphasizes the presence of talent bestowed upon everyone by God and the need for such talent to be properly utilized for the good of communities and protection of dignity of life for everyone. In this respect, one’s visions & ideas for prosperity should be extended to prosper all as the anonymous saying “wealth doesn’t start with cash; it starts with vision, ideas and information”. We envision total support of the political leadership, Rift Valley Community and beyond in the full development and eventual implementation of the scheme for realization of its sacred dreams. Rift Valley Professionals Forum & Rift Valley Youth Forum Rift Valley Professionals Forum & v Rift Valley Youth Forum EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The newly enacted Kenyan constitution provides enabling legislations and environment for various county governments sharing a common interest and vision to form joint authorities. One of the most notable provisions is that that allows different county governments to co-operate in the performance of their constitutional functions and in exercising powers through formation of joint committees and authorities [i.e. article 189(2)]. It is with that understanding that herein is proposed formation of a joint authority by Rift Valley Community’s county governments, to be named Rift Valley Development Authority (RVDA), and a joint committee to be named Rift Valley Development Authority management committee. With fiscal budget constrains, it is highly unlikely for any single or the jointly cooperating county governments to mobilize enough capital to invest in capital intensive developmental projects, thus, it is proposed formation of a public-private partnership between the co-operating county governments and their respective private investor residents and strategic investors. This will ensure attainment of enough capital for investment in capital intensive developmental projects; it is herein projected mobilization of Kenya shillings 1-2 (2-5) (5-10) trillion investment capital within a ten year initial investment period. Considering the rapid increase in population in Rift Valley and constraints in provisions of infrastructures and other goods/services, there is need to mitigate uncontrolled subdivision of agricultural land, thus, it is proposed formation of industrial cities, county resource centers, constituency resource centers and ward resource centers to act as cluster settlement sites and to facilitate provision of basic infrastructure, amenities/goods/services, in addition to formation of rural development companies to spearhead job and wealth creation in rural areas. The investment site will host a number of capital intensive developmental ventures like training institutions, farm produce processing plants, consumer goods manufacturing and supply chains amongst other developmental investments. These developments will provide profitable ready market for farm produce, employment and investment opportunities, affordable consumer goods and services, and enhance promotion of social justice and human rights as indicated in the chapter on bill of rights-through the subsidized consumer goods/services, income and humanitarian activities offered by fully owned not-for profit organization i.e. SICNET. In the side of marketing of investments’ products and services, to ensure ready market and attainment of sizeable market niche locally and penetration of export market, the principle of contract farming, economies of scale, economic integration and industrial concentrations will be promoted in/among the RVDA companies to lower cost of production, at the same time, it is proposed each of the member county governments to remit at least 30% of its yearly allocations by the national government and their residents investors and strategic investors to invest 233.33% of their respective county governments contributions i.e. top-up the 30% to 100%. These allocations will act as subsidy to the investment by the residents and for that reason, will attract not profit. In addition, a common naming/branding system and advertisement slogan will be adopted by all RVDA companies. Therefore, all the goods and services from the RVDA will attract only 70% profit margin comparative to goods and services offered by unsubsidized private ventures. It is envisioned that support will be attained from the Rift Valley leadership, community members and Kenyans in general. Rift Valley Professionals Forum & vi Rift Valley Youth Forum TABLE OF CONTENTS SPECIAL REQUESTS ....................................................................................................ii COPYRIGHT ................................................................................................................