Sessional Paper No. 10 of 1965 on African Socialism and its Application to Planning in Kenya

Abstract

Since attainment of our Independence just over eighteen months. ago, the Government has been deciding the measures that will ensure rapid economic development and social progress for all our citizens. Apart from the Budget statement last year, the Government produced a Development Plan covering the years 1964-70. This Plan was prepared at very short notice and was intended to be flexible to enable Government to adjust any of its provisions based on experience and new ideas. Already much has been accomplished in the short space of time since Independence, but a lot remains to be done if we are to achieve our declared goals. In a recent statement the minister for Finance has promised the country a balanced Budget in 1965and also stated that for the first time since 1952 Kenya will meet all her recurrent expenditure from her own resources. It is also good to note that our foreign exchange and balance of payments positions have shown considerable improvements since Independence, there have been numerous delegations and inquiries about investment in Kenya in addition to the actual investments that have taken place. We have gone out to find new markets and new areas of technical and trade co-operation in the world. From the recently published Economic Quarterly Report it will be seen that our own small farmers increased, the value of their gross marketed produce from £11.6 million in 1963 to £14 million in 1964; or an increase of nearly 21 per cent. In education while we await the final report of the Education Commission, primary school enrolment has been increased from· 891,553 in 1963 to 1,028,000 in 1965, and secondary school education is being vigorously expanded. In economic terms eighteen months is a short period in which to attain decisive accomplishments, but it is obvious that everything points to rapid progress.