The Kenya Christian Professionals Forum (KCPF) has raised alarm over multiple legal violations in the current budget-making process, urging Parliament to realign with the Constitution and uphold fiscal transparency. Speaking during a media briefing under the Governance Accountability Program (GAP), KCPF criticized the ongoing public discourse on the Finance Bill, noting that it is not the proper legal basis for public participation in the national budget process.
KCPF Chairman Charles Kanjama emphasized that public engagement should center on revenue and expenditure estimates as required under Articles 220(1) and 221 of the Constitution—not the Finance Bill. “The focus must not just be on raising revenue, but also on scrutinizing expenditure and identifying budgeted corruption,” he said.
The Forum expressed concern that the 2025/2026 budget, totaling Ksh. 4.57 trillion, is based on inflated revenue projections. With the government averaging only Ksh. 1.97 trillion in actual revenue annually, the resulting deficit of about Ksh. 2.4 trillion is being financed through borrowing that, KCPF argues, violates constitutional and legal provisions.
KCPF Consultant Bernard Muchere, a retired National Treasury auditor, decried the absence of published revenue and expenditure estimates, calling the current process “a case of putting the cart before the horse.” He stressed that citizen input should occur during the estimates stage, not merely during deliberation on tax amendments.
The Forum also condemned the misuse of borrowed funds, which are constitutionally meant for development, but are increasingly directed toward recurrent expenditure. KCPF warned that this trend mortgages Kenya’s future and undermines sustainable growth. “Borrowing outside the Constitution is not sovereign debt,” the group stated, urging for a debt audit to isolate unconstitutional liabilities.
Additionally, KCPF criticized the inflation of revenue estimates, which paves the way for supplementary budgets and corruption. They called on the Auditor General and Controller of Budget to tighten oversight and prevent abuse.
With the June 12 budget deadline approaching, KCPF is demanding Parliament halt the Finance Bill’s progress until lawful procedures are followed. “The Constitution is not a suggestion. It must be followed,” Muchere concluded, vowing continued civic education and mobilization.
