By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
Kenya, August 2, 2026 -President William Ruto has challenged three Rift Valley counties to use this year's Mashujaa Day celebrations as a demonstration of regional unity, urging leaders to work together and present a shared vision of development to the rest of the country.
Speaking during a church service at ACK St Stephen's Chepkoilel in Uasin Gishu County on Sunday, Ruto said Uasin Gishu, Nandi and Elgeyo Marakwet had agreed to jointly host the national celebrations in Eldoret, describing the event as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation beyond county boundaries.
"We have agreed to host Mashujaa Day here. I ask the counties of Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi and Uasin Gishu to work together so that we can host the event in Eldoret as a joint effort between the three counties. We want to welcome Kenyans from across the country and show them that Uasin Gishu, Nandi and Elgeyo Marakwet are making progress. Let us show others what unity looks like because we are one people, one nation," the President said.
Ruto said the neighbouring counties share a long history and should continue working together to accelerate development while promoting national cohesion.
Beyond the celebrations, the President used the occasion to defend the proposed Vision 2060 development blueprint, saying Kenya needed a new long-term plan to succeed Vision 2030 and reflect the country's constitutional and economic realities.
He said Vision 2030 was formulated before the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution, making it necessary to align future development plans with the current governance framework.
"Vision 2030 was developed before we had a new Constitution. Now we have a new Constitution. We have operationalised all sections of the Constitution. Now we must operationalise the development chapter, and it cannot be done in darkness. People must come out and give their views," he said.
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The President announced that nationwide public consultations on Vision 2060 will begin on August 12, urging Kenyans to contribute ideas on the country's long-term future.
"The conversation starts on August 12. Everybody with ideas and plans will have an opportunity to share," he said.
Ruto also encouraged Kenyans to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA), saying accurate registration would improve healthcare planning. He announced that the government had allocated an additional Sh19 billion for medicines in the 2026/27 financial year to improve drug availability in public hospitals.
Addressing farmers, the President pledged continued support for those affected by drought, promising to reduce the cost of fertiliser and certified seeds ahead of the short rains to boost food production.
The proposed Vision 2060 framework has, however, drawn criticism from opposition leaders, who argue that the government should prioritise implementing Vision 2030 and address immediate concerns such as the high cost of living, unemployment and healthcare before introducing a new long-term development agenda.