The government faces pressure to open its financial records before the 2027 General Election, with civil society groups demanding public access to loan agreements, public-private partnership contracts, and reports detailing election-period spending.
The stakeholders warned on Thursday, October 22, 2026, that limited disclosure of government financial arrangements is making it difficult for Kenyans to examine how public money is spent and understand the obligations the country takes on through borrowing and other financing deals.
They called for timely publication of fiscal reports and improved access to official records, arguing that citizens need accurate information to assess government decisions, question the use of taxpayers’ money and take part in informed debate about the country’s economic position.
The concerns were raised by representatives of civil society organisations and public institutions, who also stressed the need for stronger monitoring of public expenditure and greater accountability from government officials.
Alexander Rithii, Head of Planning at The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA), said the government should provide Kenyans with a clear account of the country’s finances before and after the next General Election.
He said a pre-election fiscal report should explain the money available to the government, the state of the economy, and other key financial issues voters need to understand during the election period.
“We are supposed to have what is called a pre-election report, fiscal report, that is supposed to tell us how much money we have, how the economy is behaving, and so on,” Rithii said.
He further explained that the reporting process should not end with the election, noting that a second report should be released four months after polling day to provide an account of the relevant fiscal matters.
“And then four months after the polling date, we are supposed to have a post-election report. It should cover all these issues, and we should follow those reports and those dates as we follow the other processes,” he added.
Rithii said adherence to the reporting timelines would help ensure that information on public finances and economic performance remains available to citizens throughout the election process.
The reports would also give the public a basis for examining the government’s financial position and commitments as political competition gathers pace ahead of the 2027 polls.
Maryanne Wanjiru, a legal officer at the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), questioned the limited access to information on government borrowing and public-private partnership agreements.
She said the public should be able to scrutinise financial arrangements involving public resources, including the terms of loans and contracts the government enters into with private-sector partners.
“And we all know that there is a lot of secrecy in financing deals, matters to do with the loans … and PPP terms remain a secret,” Wanjiru said.
She urged journalists and members of the public to exercise their right to access information held by public institutions, saying the law lets citizens seek records needed to examine government decisions.
Wanjiru cautioned that legal protections alone would not guarantee accountability if Kenyans failed to use them to demand information from the relevant institutions.
Her remarks highlighted Article 35 of the Constitution and the Access to Information Act, which establish the legal framework for accessing information held by public bodies.
Making loan agreements and PPP contracts available would enable citizens to examine the terms of financing arrangements and better understand the commitments made using public resources.
The demand for greater openness comes as Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Election, with government borrowing, public expenditure and the cost of major infrastructure projects continuing to feature in national discussions.
Stakeholders said access to financial records was necessary for Kenyans to understand how borrowing and spending decisions affect the national budget, the provision of public services and future debt repayment obligations.
They also called for closer scrutiny of government expenditure to ensure public officials account for how taxpayers’ money is used.
For journalists, access to official records would provide information needed to investigate government financing arrangements and report accurately on decisions affecting the economy.
For citizens, the disclosure of public financial information would offer a clearer picture of how government borrowing influences spending priorities and the resources available for essential services.
Stakeholders want public institutions to release relevant financial reports and agreements in time for Kenyans to examine them before the next election.
The focus is now on whether the government will improve access to loan agreements, PPP contracts and election-related fiscal reports as the country moves closer to the 2027 polls.