NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 29 – The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) has launched a leadership program to tackle public financial management (PFM) bringing together senior officials from the National Treasury, Kenya Revenue Authority, the Office of the Auditor General.
The Leadership Excellence in Africa’s Public Sector (LEAPS) program brings together senior officials from the National Treasury, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Office of the Auditor General.
Its set-up follows concerns over rising public debt levels, inefficiencies in resource allocation, and the urgent need for more transparent and accountable leadership in Kenya’s public sector.
The Kenyan launch of the LEAPS program, held at PrideInn Azure Hotel in Westlands, brought together key representatives from the National Treasury, Kenya Revenue Authority, and the Office of the Auditor General.
Mohammed Salat a programs officer at the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) noted that the initiative is not just about enhancing the leader’s skills but also promoting the leadership roles in shaping the future of their institutions and the lives of citizens at large.
“This initiative is not just about enhancing our skills as leaders but also about fostering our roles in shaping the future of our institutions and the lives of our citizens,” Stated Salat.
Joel Kipsang Bett National treasury representative and board member highlighted the program’s significance, stating that the public sector leaders are critical drivers of change in PFM and that they are the people to address issues such as debt management and resource leakages
“Kenya’s senior public sector leaders are critical drivers of change in public financial management. LEAPS is here to empower them with the leadership skills they need to transform their institutions and address systemic issues like debt management and resource leakages,” Kipsang said.
Mohammed further noted that the program was implemented to not only equip the leaders with technical expertise but to challenge the leaders to think beyond.
“We have the technical expertise, but this program challenges us to think beyond processes and numbers. It pushes us to lead with vision, integrity, and a focus on long-term outcomes,” Mohammed said.
The program is poised to cultivate a new generation of public sector leaders capable of driving meaningful reforms and fostering sustainable development. With its pilot phase involving four cohorts of 15 leaders per country.
The program that has already been launched in 6 countries Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zimbabwe offers a unique blend of eLearning, technical seminars, coaching, and mentorship over six months.
It emphasizes practical, results-oriented solutions, fostering collaboration among PFM institutions and enabling peer-to-peer learning among African countries
The Leadership Excellence in Africa’s Public Sector Program (LEAPS), spearheaded by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming public sector leadership across Africa.
Focusing on Public Financial Management (PFM), LEAPS equip senior leaders with leadership skills tailored to address critical governance challenges, enhance service delivery, and drive sustainable development across the continent.
It also encourages participants to explore innovative approaches such as Restructuring existing debt for favorable repayment terms, improving domestic revenue mobilization to reduce dependency on foreign loans, Enhancing transparency in debt negotiations and usage.
Kenya’s participation in the LEAPS program signals a commitment to address its financial challenges with bold and transformative leadership.
By leveraging the skills gained from this initiative, Kenya’s leaders are better positioned to navigate the complexities of PFM, ensure accountability, and foster sustainable economic development.
