A 4.8 Trillion Budget: How will it Impact the People? We are witnessing a terrifying contradiction: a government exceeding its own budget even as basic services rapidly decline.
Media Statement: 21st May 2026
Today, TI-Kenya, together with members of the Okoa Uchumi Campaign Coalition, has raised serious concerns over the proposed FY 2026/27 budget and the Draft Finance Bill 2026, warning that the country is heading toward deeper economic distress driven by excessive borrowing, punitive taxation, and systemic corruption.
The Coalition notes that while Kenyans continue to struggle with the rising cost of living, failing healthcare services, delayed education funding, and growing unemployment, the government has tabled a KSh 4.82 trillion budget heavily dependent on borrowing and aggressive tax collection measures.
Among the key concerns raised are:
• Expanding surveillance and account-freezing powers for KRA
• Increased pressure on ordinary taxpayers while protecting elite interests
• The continued fuel and SHA corruption scandals
• Rising electricity and fuel costs
• Threats to digital inclusion through increased excise duty on mobile phones
• The growing burden of public debt on future generations
The Coalition is calling on Parliament to:
✔ Delete intrusive and discriminatory clauses in the Finance Bill 2026
✔ Scale down the proposed budget to realistic revenue levels
✔ Hold fuel and health cartels accountable
✔ Protect citizens from economic oppression and punitive taxation
✔ Safeguard constitutional rights and democratic freedoms
Kenyans deserve a government that protects livelihoods, strengthens public services, and promotes economic justice — not policies that deepen inequality and hardship.
