The National Treasury has officially launched preparations for Kenya’s 2027/28 national budget, marking the beginning of the government’s medium-term planning process that will shape spending and revenue priorities for the next financial year.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi presided over the launch at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, bringing together government officials, Members of Parliament, development partners, private sector representatives, civil society organisations, academia and other stakeholders.
Budget anchored on BETA and Vision 2030
Speaking during the launch, Mbadi said the 2027/28 budget will be guided by the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), Vision 2030 and the Fourth Medium-Term Plan (MTP IV).
He identified agriculture, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Universal Health Coverage (UHC), affordable housing, the digital superhighway and the creative economy as the government’s key spending priorities.
Mbadi said the government remains committed to ensuring public resources are directed towards programmes that deliver tangible benefits to Kenyans while supporting long-term economic growth.
Treasury pushes for prudent public spending
The Treasury Cabinet Secretary also stressed the importance of fiscal discipline, calling for value-for-money budgeting, evidence-based planning and sustainable management of public finances.
He said the government will continue implementing public finance reforms, including electronic government procurement, the Treasury Single Account, accrual accounting and zero-based budgeting to improve efficiency and accountability.
Mbadi added that transparency, climate-responsive budgeting, public participation and social inclusion will remain central to the budget-making process.
Government targets macroeconomic stability
National Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining prudent fiscal management while protecting critical development programmes.
“The government remains committed to implementing a prudent fiscal policy that safeguards priority development investments while preserving macroeconomic stability,” Kiptoo said.
He noted that the launch marks the start of a consultative process that will involve various stakeholders before the final budget estimates are submitted to Parliament.
Growth and deficit projections
The budget preparation process comes as the Treasury projects continued economic growth over the medium term while pursuing measures to narrow the country’s budget deficit.
Government officials have indicated that the 2027/28 fiscal framework will seek to balance development spending with efforts to strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation, improve expenditure efficiency and maintain macroeconomic stability.
