Also known as: CoB
Controller of Budget — government fiscal watchdog that reports on public debt, expenditure, and budget compliance across national and county governments.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Capital News
… Mbadi confirmed that he was awaiting formal communication from the Head of Public Service to notify the Controller of Budget and officially withdraw the request to stop the funds. …
Senate orders Treasury to Restore Meru County Allocations Amid Debt Row with French investorCapital News
… Appearing before the Senate Finance and Budget Committee chaired by Vice Chairperson Tabitha Mutinda, Mbadi said his ministry would formally communicate to Controller of Budget Dr Margaret Nyakang’o to facilitate the lifting of the freeze on Meru County funds. …
Mbadi to Unlock Meru Funds After Agreement to Settle Leopard Rock Hotel DebtCitizen Digital
… But when the Controller of Budget or the Auditor General reports that certain institutions spent more money outside the budget or on non-priority areas, every politician jolted by such must discount the figures and assign names. …
SAM’S SENSE: Count the differenceThe Standard
… The groups also urged legislators to protect the independence of oversight institutions, such as the Controller of Budget and the Auditor General, from interference by the executive."The parliament should ensure that both the Sovereign Wealth Fund and National Infrastructure Fund …
Lobby groups seeks withdrawal of Sovereign Wealth Fund BillThe Standard
… According to Wanjigi, Article 206 of the Constitution requires all borrowed funds to pass through the Consolidated Fund before expenditure."By keeping this money off the official books in a separate account, the Treasury is bypassing the Controller of Budget, blinding the Auditor …
Wanjigi calls for freeze of Treasury's Sh150bn 'shadow account'The Standard
Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o before the National Assembly Public Debt and Privatisation Committee, March 30, 2026. …
CoB seeks strict control of Sovereign FundThe Motorists Association of Kenya has rejected NTSA plans to charge vehicle owners for converting physical logbooks into electronic logbooks, arguing that motorists have already paid for logbooks during registration and should not incur additional costs for the government's digitisation agenda.
12 June 2026 · Capital News →
The Motorists Association of Kenya has rejected NTSA plans to charge vehicle owners for converting physical logbooks into electronic logbooks, arguing that motorists have already paid for logbooks during registration and should not incur additional costs for the government's digitisation agenda.
12 June 2026 · Capital News →
President William Ruto has defended his frequent international travels, saying they are part of his official duties as Head of State and chief diplomat rather than leisure trips. Speaking at a town hall in Helsinki, Finland, Ruto emphasized that his foreign engagements aim to advance Kenya's diplomatic, trade, and investment interests.
12 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Government agencies accumulated Sh465.87 billion in unpaid bills by March 31, 2026, comprising Sh271.16 billion in recurrent expenditure and Sh194.71 billion for development projects. The Controller of Budget report notes the pending bills constrain service delivery and project implementation while exposing government to litigation and additional costs.
10 June 2026 · Capital News →
Government spending outside approved budget provisions reached Sh276.99 billion in the first nine months of the 2025/26 financial year, nearly sixfold higher than the Sh48.88 billion in the same period of 2024/25. The Controller of Budget warned that excessive reliance on Article 223—which allows emergency withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund before parliamentary approval—threatens budget credibility and fiscal discipline.
10 June 2026 · Capital News →
The Controller of Budget flagged defiance of austerity measures in the national government's nine-month expenditure report, showing Ksh.17.3 billion spent on domestic and foreign travel, with State House and the Foreign Affairs Department among the largest spenders despite President Ruto's calls to reduce travel expenditure.
10 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya's Controller of Budget reports that debt repayments totaled Sh1.35 trillion against total receipts of Sh3.21 trillion in the first nine months of the 2025/26 financial year, with debt payments accounting for nearly 87 percent of Consolidated Fund Services expenditure. Public debt has climbed to Sh12.82 trillion, equivalent to 69.9 percent of GDP and exceeding Parliament's 55 percent threshold by 15 percentage points.
10 June 2026 · Capital News →
Kenya's public debt rose 9 per cent to Sh12.82 trillion as of March 31, 2026, exceeding Parliament's recommended debt anchor of 55 per cent of GDP by 14.9 percentage points. Domestic debt drove much of the increase, rising 13 per cent to Sh7.05 trillion, while debt-servicing consumed Sh1.35 trillion during the nine-month period.
10 June 2026 · Capital News →
An opinion piece argues that the fire at Utumishi Girls Senior School that killed 16 students exposes gaps in regulatory oversight of basic education institutions. The author calls for stronger enforcement of standards by the Educational Standards and Quality Assurance Council (ESQAC) and other oversight bodies to prevent future catastrophes.
10 June 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya's public debt is nearing Sh13 trillion as President Ruto's administration increases domestic borrowing following international market activity. Economists and the Controller of Budget warn that debt repayments already consuming nearly 80 per cent of tax revenues risk crowding out the private sector and triggering a debt service crisis.
25 May 2026 · The Standard →
The Council of Governors has asked Parliament to amend the Public Finance Management Act to allow counties immediate access to Sh75.7 billion in conditional allocations once the County Government Additional Allocation Bill, 2026, is enacted, arguing that current requirements for signed intergovernmental agreements interfere with the budget cycle.
13 May 2026 · The Standard →
The Senate adopted a resolution directing the National Treasury to lift a funding freeze on Meru County imposed over foreign debt concerns, arguing the action violated constitutional process. Senators questioned why the Treasury invoked Article 225 instead of Article 190 and warned that withholding funds from devolved units undermines service delivery and sets a dangerous precedent for counties.
13 May 2026 · Capital News →
The National Treasury has committed to lifting a freeze on Meru County Government funds and settling Ksh139 million owed to a French investor linked to Leopard Rock Hotel Limited, Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi told the Senate Finance and Budget Committee.
8 May 2026 · Capital News →
Analysis of Kenya's GDP growth statistics: the government statistician reported 4.6 per cent growth, and budget estimates for 2026/2027 set the economy at more than Ksh.20.8 trillion, a figure used to calculate key metrics like the budget deficit-to-GDP and public debt-to-GDP ratios that affect borrowing decisions.
7 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Civil groups under the Okoa Uchumi Campaign are calling for Parliament to withdraw the Sovereign Wealth Fund Bill 2026, citing insufficient public participation and lack of safeguards against political misuse. The groups argue the Bill should be preceded by a Sessional paper and require robust ring-fencing provisions and oversight protections before passage.
2 May 2026 · The Standard →
Businessman Jimi Wanjigi has called for a freeze on a Sh150.7 billion sovereign bond account that he alleges the National Treasury is hiding outside the Consolidated Fund. He claims that 84 out of 88 recurrent exchequer line items published in a Kenya Gazette notice contained errors, and argues the discrepancies point to systemic failures in public finance management rather than clerical mistakes.
30 April 2026 · The Standard →
The Controller of Budget and Office of the Auditor General have called for stronger safeguards for the proposed Sovereign Wealth Fund to protect the integrity of its management.
28 April 2026 · The Standard →