NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 9 — Kenya will advance fresh reform proposals at the African Union (AU) level aimed at strengthening budget accountability within the African Union Commission, including enhanced oversight by the Pan-African Parliament.
Speaking during his annual Diplomatic Address to Heads of Mission and International Organisations at State House, Nairobi, President William Ruto said Kenya remains committed to deepening institutional reforms across continental bodies to improve efficiency, transparency and responsiveness.
“As African Union Champion for Institutional Reform, we have supported ongoing efforts to enhance the effectiveness, credibility, and responsiveness of the Union, particularly in the areas of peace, governance, and financing,” the President said.
Ruto noted that strengthening financing frameworks and accountability mechanisms within AU organs is critical to restoring confidence in continental institutions and ensuring that member state contributions deliver measurable impact.
The President signalled that Kenya will push for clearer budgetary oversight structures, including reinforcing the role of representative organs such as the Pan-African Parliament in scrutinising expenditure and advancing fiscal discipline within the AU system.
UN reform
He said Kenya’s reform push aligns to the broader goal of institutional strengthening across Africa, adding that efficient governance structures are central to the continent’s economic transformation and sustainable development agenda.
“At the continental level, Kenya continues to contribute to Africa’s institutional strengthening,” Ruto said, reiterating Nairobi’s position as a key advocate for reform within the AU architecture.
The President linked the reform agenda to Africa’s wider call for fairness in global governance, including long-standing demands for equitable representation at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) under the Ezulwini Consensus, an agreement by the AU to seek at least two permanent UNSC seats.
Ruto said that credible and accountable continental institutions are essential if Africa is to effectively champion its interests in global forums and mobilise resources for peace, development and climate action.
Kenya is currently chairing the East African Community (EAC) and is set to chair the COMESA Authority this year, positions Ruto said place the country at the centre of advancing regional integration and governance reforms
