The launch of the Vision 2030 blueprint marks the beginning of a difficult but rewarding journey.

It has often been said that many of the so-called South East Asian Tiger economies were at the same level of development with Kenya in the 1960s. But from there, the development paths diverged dramatically.

Looking back, it is evident that had Kenya embarked on and sustained the right development path and strategy right from Independence, we would not have needed to "look East" for role models. Some of these countries have borrowed from our development models and plans in the 1960s and 1970s. So what went wrong?

It is gratifying that Kenya has re-embarked on a grand scheme to achieve economic prosperity. In Vision 2030, the nation has a second chance to redeem itself, even if it has taken us a half a century to realise it. We, therefore, need to re-examine and re-evaluate our economic models and decide on a different course altogether. For it cannot be "business as usual" if we hope not to end up at the same sorry state 30 years down the line.

Under the Vision 2030, the Government hopes to transform the economy into a globally competitive one, thereby achieving a high quality of life for the citizens. The strategy is premised on attainment and sustaining an annual economic growth rate of at least ten per cent.

Delta 14 is a rap artist based in Toronto but as his name suggests
he is not another run of the mill rapper indulging in drug fables and
tales of money, cars, jewellry and women. When asked about the reason
behind the name he can only offer that "some personal situations arose
when I was 14 that made me have to alter my way of thinking completely.
Mostly about myself, the world, people around me and my future". "Since
delta means change" he continues "the name made sense... unless I
wanted to call myself 'change 14'.......Not happening".

He has currently finished his 4th solo album 'The Journey'. Though he may be performing in shows and recording albums now when his dream to be a rapper started he could have never pictured this. Born in Nairobi, Kenya he says he wasn't exposed to music at all. "Sitting and listening to music wasn't something a kid would do, the only music I ever did hear was Kenny Rogers and other country stuff cause my Mum was really into country". It was only until he moved to England when he was 5 years old that he was introduced to rap. "My brother bought 'the chronic' by dre and after I heard that it was over, I was hooked but it wasn't until Tupac that I realised I loved rap". "I started writing when I was about 8 but when I spat the rhymes in school some of my friends dissed me so I just stopped" he says of his earlier years as an aspiring rapper.                                   

The drive, which begins today, will be used as an initiative to get tourists back to Kenya, and focuses on the migration of the wildebeest.

Virgin Atlantic president, Sir Richard Branson, gave Kenya a clean bill of health and vowed to help the country get back on track and increase tourist numbers.

"Kenya is a fantastic and safe place to come. We need to get tourism back on track," he said.

The campaign will appear on London’s underground mainline railway, as well as the national Press.

Branson made the announcement at Sarova Mara Game Camp at the Maasai Mara on Saturday.

Tourism minister, Mr Najib Balala, has said Branson’s tour was a clear indication that Kenya was back on the recovery path.