Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called for increased local manufacturing and value addition, saying Kenya must reduce its reliance on exporting raw materials and importing finished goods to strengthen its economy.
Speaking during engagements with policymakers, investors, diplomats and development partners in London, Gachagua said the country’s economic future should be driven by Kenyans, with local farmers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and young people benefiting more directly from national resources.
Addressing the House of Commons, he argued that Kenya could not achieve sustainable prosperity by exporting unprocessed goods while importing finished products.
He called for investment in local industries and manufacturing to ensure more economic value is retained within the country.
Gachagua also said Kenya was not seeking to be rescued by foreign partners, but rather to build its economy independently while welcoming international investment and cooperation.
He maintained that partnerships should benefit both sides, cautioning against arrangements that prioritise the extraction of Kenya’s resources at the expense of its citizens.
“We welcome investors, but investment is not extraction, and partnership is not patronage,” he said, insisting that the country’s resources, strategic assets and economic decisions should serve the interests of Kenyans.
At Chatham House, Gachagua presented his economic and governance agenda under the theme Kenya at a Cusp: Rescue, Restore, Renew, which he described as the Komboa Kenya roadmap.
The agenda focuses on economic recovery, job creation, constitutionalism, the fight against corruption and rebuilding public trust in state institutions.
He urged Kenyans to mobilise domestic savings and capital to finance development, expand industries and strengthen the country’s productive capacity.
According to Gachagua, international partners should support Kenya’s development efforts as equals rather than determine the country’s economic direction.
He argued that Kenya had the wealth, talent and potential to achieve greater prosperity but needed leadership capable of putting those resources to work for its citizens.
Gachagua’s remarks centred on economic self-reliance, local industrialisation and accountable leadership, which he presented as key pillars of his vision for the country.
