Kenya: Omtatah Questions World Bank's Silence On Kenya's Hidden Borrowing and Public Funds

What the report says

Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has criticized the World Bank’s recent assessment of corruption in Kenya, arguing that the lender has emphasized procurement problems while overlooking what he describes as deeper issues in government borrowing and public fund management. The comments were reported by Capital FM and republished by AllAfrica from Nairobi on 10 November 2026.

In a statement, Omtatah said corruption in public spending was only part of the problem. He argued that some borrowing arrangements and the handling of loan proceeds have allowed large sums to be spent without what he views as adequate parliamentary control. He also questioned parts of Kenya’s legal framework for borrowing and for dealings with the World Bank and IMF, saying these systems can weaken oversight. His remarks focused on the Public Finance Management Act, the Bretton Woods Agreements Act and constitutional controls on withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund.

The senator urged Kenyans to compare annual budget approvals with Treasury spending reports to identify what he described as hidden loans and off-budget spending. He also raised concerns about external loan proceeds held in offshore accounts and about securitization structures tied to future tax revenue, saying they may function like parallel funding channels outside normal budget rules.

Omtatah’s intervention came shortly after the World Bank released its 34th Kenya Economic Update on 4 November, warning that corruption and governance weaknesses are hurting growth, investment and jobs. The bank said better governance could significantly improve Kenya’s economic outlook, while Treasury officials pointed to ongoing reforms such as procurement digitization and conflict-of-interest rules.