CS Mbadi: Budget-making process has been open, transparent

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi/ FILE

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has said the budget-making process has been done with openness and transparency, including public engagement.

Mbadi admitted that last year’s protests showed that Kenyans are alert and exercising their democratic rights.

“It was very clear that our Constitution is not idle, that citizens are alert and exercising their democratic rights,” Mbadi said.

“So, we definitely had to change the way we do things; there were questions around openness and transparency in the budget-making process, therefore, things were to be done differently this time.”

Mbadi is expected to present the 2025/2026 budget statement in Parliament on Thursday.

Mbadi will pronounce the budget policy highlights and revenue-raising measures for the national government for the fiscal year 2025-26.

The government is set to spend over Sh4.2 trillion in this financial year, which the exchequer aims to finance through debt, ordinary revenue, grants, fees charged for government service, and borrowing.

Revenue is projected at Sh3.39 trillion, with ordinary revenue expected to hit Sh2.84 trillion, supported by ongoing tax reforms.

"I took a personal initiative from the time I got into the office, communicating and making people understand and demystify what the National Nutrition is all about, and managing our finances," Mbadi said.

Mbadi admitted to having cases that have forced him to hold regular meetings. These include in Mombasa, Eldoret, among other places, to have public engagement.

On a higher note, he mentioned that he has also interacted with the youths, Gen Zs, saying it is something that has never been done before.

These meetings were primarily meant to engage the public to understand the budget process and the Finance bill.

The government plans to spend Sh3.1 trillion on recurrent expenditure, Sh725.1 billion on development, and Sh436.7 billion in county transfers.

The proposed 2025/2026 financial year budget prioritises education, which will receive the largest share at Sh701 billion.

However, despite this allocation, it still falls short of actual needs in the education sector.

Of this, Sh377 billion has been allocated for teacher salaries, Sh55 billion for free day secondary school capitation, Sh41 billion for HELB, and funds for university scholarships, junior and primary school capitation, intern teachers, school feeding, and TVET.