The Institute of Public Finance (IPF) has been providing guidance to the government through an alternative budget, often referred to as a shadow budget, aimed at improving public spending and ensuring efficiency in resource allocation.
According to Martin Kabaya, an economist at IPF, this shadow budget is usually published around March or April, ahead of the national budget being presented in Parliament.
During an interview with Radio Generation on Tuesday, he explained that the purpose of the shadow budget is to advise the government on what should be included in the upcoming budget, based on thorough analysis of past expenditures and program performance.
“We have done analysis. You’ve seen these projects or these programs were given this money. This is the KPI that was achieved, and this is what failed, and this is what went through. So we advise now with knowledge on what was done and what was done better, and with which resources and what needs to be done now to ensure that there is efficiency,” Kabaya said.
The IPF has also worked closely with the National Treasury to make technical documents more accessible to the general public. Documents like the Medium Term Debt Strategy (MTDS) and the Annual National Public Debt Reports are often complex and difficult for ordinary citizens to understand.
Kabaya noted that through collaboration, IPF has helped produce versions of these reports that are easier for the average Kenyan to read and comprehend.
“For the past one year, we have collaborated with the Treasury. There is a mwananchi version of the medium term debt strategy, and there is a Mwananchi version of the annual public debt management report,” he added.
This initiative is part of IPF’s broader effort to enhance transparency in government spending and ensure that taxpayers understand how public funds are allocated and used.
By combining analysis of past performance with practical recommendations for the future, the shadow budget serves as a tool for better planning and accountability in Kenya’s public finance sector