NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 31 – A consortium of civil society groups has launched a campaign dubbed Okoa Uchumi aimed at pushing for political accountability and bolster constitutional safeguards in public debt management.
The campaign which is led by Mzalendo Trust, The Institute of Social Accountability, Transparency International, International Budget Partnership and African Forum and Network on Debt and Development aims at engaging political parties, leaders and the electorate with the aim of putting debt accountability at the heart of the agenda.
It further seeks to push for political accountability and bolster constitutional safeguards in public debt management.
“The campaign is inspired by the country’s economic crisis and high debt, driven by imprudent management of public resources and public debt,” Senior Programmes Officer Mzalendo Trust Gitungo Wamere said.
Wamere decried that Kenyan’s debt crisis has been fueled by budgeted corruption which has been driven by among other things, poor investments, poor policies and budget deficits.
“Okoa Uchumi campaign seeks to achieve its objectives through Creating public awareness on the present crisis and its causes and remedies by promoting objective public discourse.,” she said.
The Campaign intends to achieve its objectives by creating public awareness on Kenya’s economy and debt status, profile and counter untruthful and misleading narratives on Kenya’s economic and debt status and Advocate and lobby to influence policy and legislative outputs impacting the economy among other initiatives.
Country Manager International Budget Partnership Abraham Rugo attributed Kenya’s debt problem to poor governance as he stressed the need for strengthening transparency and public participation in public debt.
“Our problem with debt is purely governance but in the interim we have to decide on what to cut,” he said.
Executive Director Transparency International Sheila Masinde noted that corruption and debt have a symbiotic relationship even as she faulted Parliament for failing Kenyans in playing their oversight role in managing issues of debt.
“Our Members of Parliament talk in press conferences but we do not see them talk on the floor of the House,” she said.
