World Bank Country Director for Kenya, Qimiao Fan, has assured the public that all loans extended to Kenya by the institution are fully transparent and tied to tangible outcomes.

In an interview aired on NTV on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, Fan defended the Bank’s financial relationship with Kenya, stressing that the terms, amounts, and objectives of each loan are accessible to the public.

“There’s complete transparency when it comes to the World Bank’s support to Kenya,” he said. “Every cent we lend, including all the associated terms and durations, is available on our website for anyone to review.”

Fan noted that since Kenya became a World Bank member in 1964, the institution has extended over Ksh3.24 trillion in combined loans, grants, and credits. He emphasized that most of the financing consists of long-term loans with minimal or no interest, designed to support the country’s development goals.

“Our financing is among the most favorable globally. It’s meant to boost long-term growth across sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, energy, and transport,” he explained.

To address concerns about the conditions attached to loans, Fan outlined three key financing mechanisms the World Bank uses.

The first, investment project financing, supports specific initiatives like the construction of school facilities and roads. “We’ve helped build more than 30,000 classrooms and supported the development of thousands of kilometers of tarmacked roads,” Fan said, pointing to projects like the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway and the Tana River hydropower plant.

The second, programme-for-results financing, releases funds based on verified outcomes such as increased school attendance or better learning performance. “We only disburse funds once the results are delivered,” he said. “That way, we ensure funds go exactly where they’re intended.”

The third, known as development policy financing, provides budgetary support to governments that commit to specific reforms. These may include overhauls in public financial management or the rollout of digital procurement systems.

Fan also clarified how projects are selected, stating that funding decisions are made in close consultation with the Kenyan government.

“We don’t decide alone,” he said. “The initiatives we support must align with Kenya’s priorities and fall within areas where the World Bank has the expertise to contribute meaningfully.”