Treasury Launches Nationwide Public Forums to Gather Input on 2024/25 Budget
The National Treasury has officially inaugurated a three-week series of public participation forums across all 47 counties, inviting citizens to contribute their views on the upcoming 2024/25 national budget. Cabinet Secretary Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u announced the initiative, stating it aims to foster transparency and ensure the government’s spending plan reflects the genuine needs and priorities of Kenyans. The forums will provide a platform for individuals, civil society organizations, and business communities to propose areas for funding, from infrastructure and healthcare to agriculture and education.
The exercise, mandated by the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and the Public Finance Management Act, will be conducted through both physical town hall meetings and a dedicated digital portal on the Treasury website. Participants are encouraged to submit memoranda on specific sectors, suggesting projects or policy changes they believe should be prioritized. This is not a mere formality. We are committed to incorporating the voices of Wanjiku into the national Budget Policy Statement and the eventual Division of Revenue Bill, CS Ndung’u emphasized during the launch at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
Reaction from civil society has been cautiously optimistic. The Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA) praised the move as a step towards accountable governance but urged the Treasury to demonstrate how public input will be visibly integrated into the final budget document. In previous years, the link between public submissions and the final budget has been tenuous. We need a clear feedback mechanism to show citizens that their time and input were valued and acted upon, remarked Kwame Owino, CEO of IEA. Some citizens have also expressed concerns about the accessibility of the forums for those in remote areas.
Looking ahead, the National Treasury has committed to publishing a summary of the received submissions and a detailed report on how the public’s views influenced the budget-making process. The success of this initiative is seen as crucial for building public trust in the government’s fiscal management. The finalized 2024/25 budget is expected to be presented to the National Assembly by April 2024, with the Treasury hoping it will be a document that truly carries the imprint of the people it is designed to serve.