The International Monetary Fund has completed an in-depth assessment of Kenya’s governance systems after a two-week mission aimed at uncovering weaknesses that could impact the country’s economic stability.

The review, conducted at the request of President William Ruto’s administration, was part of the IMF’s Governance Diagnostic program, which identifies institutional gaps, corruption risks, and governance shortcomings in core public systems.

The mission, led by Rebecca Sparkman, took place from June 16 to June 30, 2025, and involved a team of experts drawn from various IMF departments including Fiscal Affairs, Legal, Finance, Monetary and Capital Markets, and Strategy, Policy and Review, working alongside World Bank representatives.

The IMF team engaged widely with government institutions and non-state actors to examine governance issues affecting key sectors. These included procurement, revenue collection, budget policy, expenditure oversight, financial regulation, mining, and operations of the Central Bank. They also looked into efforts to curb money laundering and stop the financing of terrorism.

In addition to official agencies, the team consulted civil society organisations, business lobbies, and international development partners to build a broader picture of transparency and accountability challenges.

A key part of the discussions focused on how the Kenyan government is handling corruption, a matter that has repeatedly drawn concern from both the public and international institutions.

The outcome of the mission will be a detailed report capturing the team’s findings and offering recommendations to guide the country forward.

The document, expected to be shared with the government by the end of 2025, will also propose an action plan for addressing the gaps identified during the exercise.

Public interest in the report has surged, with growing calls for its release to the public.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi recently addressed the matter, stating, “I was very careful to say, from where I sit, I didn't see what that should not be made public, but that will be a Cabinet decision.”

The final decision on whether to publish the report will rest with the Cabinet once it is officially submitted.