When I recently shared on social media that I would vote for President William Ruto in 2027, I faced significant backlash. Many interpreted this as blind loyalty or ignorance of current economic pains. But my reasoning comes from a simple, globally proven idea: Transformative development requires leaders to make tough, sometimes unpopular, decisions whose benefits are not felt immediately.
Let me explain this logic, using examples from countries that dared to plan for decades, not just for the next election cycle.
One. In 1990s, Dubai was little more than a desert outpost dependent on dwindling oil reserves. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, then Crown Prince and later ruler, introduced the Dubai Strategic Plan, envisioning a diversified economy built on tourism, logistics, real estate, and financial services.
The plan included megaprojects like Palm Jumeirah, the Burj Khalifa, and Emirates Airlines — all ventures many thought were reckless at the time. Today, Dubai is a global city, attracting billions in foreign investment and creating thousands of jobs. Key lesson: Tough policies, delayed gratification, and massive economic restructuring worked.
Two. Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew is perhaps the textbook example of long-term leadership vision. In 1960s, Singapore was poor. Lee’s government embarked on radical reforms: Strict laws to ensure stability, massive investment in infrastructure, education, and housing, and aggressive courting of foreign investment.
Critics called his policies authoritarian and anti-populist. But Lee was unapologetic, often reminding citizens that real transformation would take decades. By the 1990s, Singapore had become one of the world’s most advanced economies. Key lesson: Industrialisation and nation-building are long-term processes that require leaders to prioritise the country’s future prosperity over present popularity.
Three. In Africa, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame offers a closer example. After the 1994 genocide, Rwanda lay in ruins. Kagame’s government focused on strict governance, security and long-term planning under Vision 2020, later extended to Vision 2050.
His administration invested heavily in ICT, infrastructure, and tourism when many Rwandans were still struggling with basic needs. Kagame faced criticism at home and abroad. Today, Rwanda is often cited as an African success story, with remarkable economic growth and social progress. Key lesson: Leaders must sometimes be tough and forward-looking to pull their nations from poverty to prosperity.
Kenya is at a critical juncture. Our agriculture-driven economy is vulnerable to climate shocks. Our dependence on imports leads to a persistent trade deficit. The informal sector dominates employment, limiting productivity and wages.
To break free from this cycle, Kenya must industrialise. This means investing in manufacturing to create jobs and reduce import dependency, building infrastructure like ports, roads, and railways that support industry and trade, developing energy resources to ensure affordable power for factories and technology and reforming education to provide technical and vocational skills aligned with industrial needs.
These are costly, long-term initiatives. The results will not be fully visible in five years or even ten. But without such a vision, Kenya risks becoming permanently trapped as a low-income consumer economy.
If Ruto wins in 2027, it would be his last term. This would free him from the political short-termism that forces leaders to focus on immediate voter satisfaction. Instead, he could pursue what Kenya truly needs: A 20 to 30-year economic vision similar to what we’ve seen succeed in Dubai, Singapore, and Rwanda.
Ms Thorne is a communications consultant
By Njeri Thorne