How the Singapore dream desired by President Ruto can be attained!

By Joseph Lister Nyaringo

President William Ruto’s call for Kenya to aspire to the standards of Singapore is bold, timely and necessary. Ambition alone will not transform a nation; action must match intent. Singapore did not rise to global prominence by chance. Its success was built on disciplined governance, institutional integrity, meritocracy and zero tolerance for corruption. Kenya, if it is serious about achieving such an accomplishment, must combine vision with structural reform, moral courage, and good governance based on honesty and accountability.

Kenya’s economy shows both promise and pressure. The country’s Gross Domestic Product stands at roughly $120 billion, ranking among the largest in sub-Saharan Africa, yet per capita income remains only $2,100, highlighting a gap between aggregate growth and citizen prosperity. Meanwhile, the country’s national debt has exceeded KSh 12 trillion, with debt servicing consuming a substantial portion of revenue. Much of Kenya’s tax income funds recurrent expenditure-salaries, allowances, and administrative costs rather than productive investment. For a nation with vast human and natural capital, this trajectory is grossly unsustainable.

Singapore’s experience demonstrates the path to rapid transformation. After independence in 1965, it faced unemployment, scarce land and limited natural resources. Its leadership professionalised the civil service, enforced strict anti-corruption laws, and invested strategically in education, infrastructure and industrialisation. Investor confidence soared, and the country emerged as a global financial and technological hub. Integrity was institutionalised; public institutions were depoliticised.

Kenya possesses comparable foundations: a youthful, educated, technologically adept population, and Nairobi’s “Silicon Savannah” is already a hub for digital innovation and entrepreneurship. With a coherent industrial policy, Kenya could lead in digital services, value-added agriculture and regional trade. Yet bureaucracy stifles progress.

Kenya’s legislative and county structures are bloated, hence draining resources from development. A bicameral legislature and 47 county governments, each with governors, deputies, women MPs, and assemblies, create duplication and inefficiency. Rationalising governance by abolishing the Senate through a constitutional referendum and streamlining Parliament would not weaken democracy; it would restore fiscal sanity and free billions for strategic investment.

Over-representation is a glaring reality in all facets of Kenya’s governance that President Ruto’s leadership cannot shy away from if he expects the country to become a replica of Singapore.  

Corruption is the single greatest obstacle to national transformation. Strengthening the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is vital. It must be adequately funded, politically insulated, and granted prosecutorial powers to investigate and try economic crimes independently. Kenya should also deepen collaboration with international agencies such as Interpol, the FBI, Europol, FATF, EBA, OFAC and IMoLIN to trace cross-border financial crimes and recover stolen assets. Wealth siphoned abroad, often hidden in Swiss accounts or the Island of Jersey, must be repatriated to fuel national development.

Agriculture, the backbone of Kenya’s economy, remains significantly underexploited. Semi-arid counties such as Garissa, Mandera, Marsabit, Turkana, Kajiado and Wajir possess vast untapped potential that could be unlocked through comprehensive irrigation and land reclamation programmes. With modern water management systems, large-scale harvesting infrastructure, drought-resistant crops and investment in agro-processing, these regions could be transformed from marginal lands into thriving centres of productivity. Such a shift would reduce reliance on food imports, conserve foreign exchange, strengthen food security and create employment across entire agricultural value chains.

Kenya maintains strong diplomatic and technical ties with Israel, a global leader in water harvesting, drip irrigation, and horticultural innovation, despite its arid climate. There is a compelling case for leveraging this expertise to accelerate Kenya’s agricultural transformation and convert climatic challenges into economic opportunities.

President Ruto’s 2019 call to diversify farming still resonates: North Rift counties must move beyond maize monoculture and embrace high-value horticulture, including Hass avocados, which have a vast market in Europe and Asia. Fertile counties like Trans-Nzoia, Nandi, Uasin-Gishu and Bungoma are poised to benefit from crop diversification, boosting incomes and advancing food security.

Natural resource management demands similar discipline. Oil in Turkana raised national expectations, yet commercial exploitation has yet to yield a transformative impact. Transparent contracts, investor clarity and rigorous oversight are essential to ensure extractive industries benefit citizens. Gold discoveries in Ikolomani, Kakamega, offer another opportunity for regulated mining to fund infrastructure, healthcare and education rather than informal exploitation. The lack of clarity around Tullow Oil’s activities in Turkana underscores the urgent need for accountability, bearing in mind that we have the Ministries of Mining and Blue Economy as well as the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, led by Ali Hassan Joho and Opiyo Wandayi, respectively.  

True reform requires moral seriousness. Anti-corruption enforcement, lean governance, fiscal discipline and strategic investment must operate together. Public office must be regarded as a trust, not a path to personal enrichment. Merit-based appointments and systematic performance evaluation within the civil service are crucial for efficiency and restoring public confidence.

Kenya stands at a crossroads. With a GDP exceeding $100 billion, a digitally connected population and abundant human and natural resources, the foundation for prosperity exists. Decisive action is required: rationalise governance constitutionally, empower anti-corruption institutions, recover stolen assets through international collaboration, and invest strategically in human capital and productive sectors.

Nations do not fail from lack of opportunity but from tolerating inefficiency, impunity and weak institutions. Kenya can emulate Singapore if ambition is matched with structural courage.

By strengthening institutions, reclaiming stolen wealth, unlocking agricultural and mineral potential, and empowering its educated, technology-driven population, the country can convert aspiration into sustainable prosperity and secure a future defined by discipline, integrity and shared growth.