Kenya continues to register an increase in public debt, attributed to the government’s borrowing spree. President William Ruto speaking at a past event. The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) report showed that the country has borrowed up to KSh 11.8 trillion as of June 30, 2025. How much has Ruto’s govt borrowed? Kiharu Member of Parliament (MP) Ndindi Nyoro accused President William Ruto’s administration of borrowing more than what former President Mwai Kibaki borrowed in ten years. The former chair of the National Assembly Budget Committee claimed that the Kenya Kwanza government borrowed over KSh 3.5 trillion in just three years, compared to KSh 1.2 trillion that Kibaki borrowed over 10 years. “We have borrowed three times what Kibaki borrowed in 10 years. That’s the money Kenya has borrowed in the last three years alone, three times what Kibaki borrowed in 10 years.
“I have not included other debts that Kenya has now become clever to borrow in the name of something called securitisation. I have not mentioned even that,” said Nyoro. The lawmaker claimed that the country is borrowing KSh 100 billion every month, KSh 3.4 billion every day, and KSh 137 every one hour. “I’m saying this because we are now headed to the elections, and what governments do. They focus more on re-election, and we forget that we have a country to lead after the elections,” he said. He noted that the country’s debt nears KSh 12 trillion, due to fiscal expansion experienced towards the electioneering year. Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro speaking at a past event. Ndindi Nyoro.
Nyoro challenged the government to show the projects it is carrying out to justify the KSh 1.2 trillion borrowed every year. “I want to request that we do not have to put our country on that kind of pedestal to borrow. Kenya has always had development for many years, but we never had to borrow that much. President Kibaki did a lot of development. He borrowed only 1.2 trillion for 10 years. Where is the 1.2 trillion we are borrowing every year going?” he asked. Which debt stock is growing in Kenya The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) reported an increase in domestic borrowing in eight months to August 2025. President William Ruto’s administration borrowed over KSh 5 trillion in Treasury bonds in August alone. The government also borrowed more than KSh 1 trillion in Treasury bills and from other domestic lenders, including banks, growing domestic debt to over KSh 6.4 trillion.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
