Mwelekeo TV hosted a wide-ranging discussion in which Soita Wafula laid out a vision of how Kenya could grow into a global innovation hub by 2035, arguing that the country’s future depends on investing in knowledge, building stronger systems and creating opportunities for young people across the country.
Speaking with host Kevin Waswa, Wafula said Kenya has the talent and energy to lead in innovation, but progress will require practical reforms and long-term thinking.
At the heart of the discussion was the idea that Kenya should move from mainly consuming ideas developed elsewhere to becoming a country that produces solutions for itself and the wider world.
Wafula described this as building a knowledge-driven economy, where research, technology and creativity work together to create jobs and strengthen communities. His thinking was rooted in what he called Ubuntu capitalism, an approach that places people and shared growth at the center of economic progress.
A major focus of the conversation was education, which Wafula argued needs urgent rethinking. He said many learning systems still reflect older industrial-era models that prepared people for routine jobs, yet the demands of today’s economy are very different.
According to him, education should help people discover their strengths, solve real problems and create value.
He suggested universities should become spaces where students, researchers and businesses work together to turn ideas into practical innovations.
The discussion also explored how innovation should not be limited to major cities. Wafula spoke about the idea of building innovation communities across the country, including in rural areas, where young people can gain digital skills, grow businesses and develop local solutions.
He argued that spreading opportunity beyond urban centers could help reduce inequality while opening up economic activity in places often left out of development conversations.
Research was presented as central to this vision. Through Mwelekeo Insights, the discussion highlighted the role of research in guiding policy, identifying gaps and helping shape practical responses to national challenges.
Wafula stressed that innovation cannot grow without knowledge, and knowledge itself depends on serious investment in learning and inquiry.
He also spoke about the opportunities and pressures created by rapid technological change, including artificial intelligence.
Kenya, he said, already has a strong digital foundation, but that strength needs to connect more directly with production, entrepreneurship and problem-solving.
For that to happen, he said policymakers, investors and young innovators all have roles to play.
Leadership and systems thinking formed another major part of the discussion. Wafula encouraged young people to think beyond quick financial gain and instead focus on building structures that can create lasting impact.
Using the example of someone carrying water daily compared with someone building a pipeline, he argued that systems can produce greater long-term value than constant short-term effort.
The conversation also examined human capital beyond technical skills. Wafula said national development should include nurturing confidence, purpose and creativity. He pointed to sectors such as sports, entertainment and the arts, arguing they should be taken more seriously as areas of economic and social contribution.
Even with its hopeful tone, the discussion remained realistic about the work required. Building an innovation economy, Wafula noted, will not happen overnight.
It calls for reforms in education, stronger links between institutions and industry, and spaces where young people can test ideas, fail, learn and improve.
Throughout the interview, the focus stayed on practical steps rather than grand promises. The message was that progress can come through steady effort, collaboration and a commitment to solving problems in smarter ways. Small successes, whether in universities, communities or rural innovation hubs, could over time create wider momentum.
The conversation on Mwelekeo TV added to a growing national debate about Kenya’s future, placing the platform at the center of discussions on ideas, policy and innovation.
Mwelekeo TV continues to provide a space where long-term national questions can be examined beyond day-to-day politics.
Wafula’s vision was presented less as a distant dream and more as a challenge for action. With a young population, growing digital infrastructure and creative potential, Kenya, he argued, has the ingredients to shape a stronger future if those strengths are organized into systems that work for the long term.
