After several months of reviewing how public money is handled in President William Ruto’s government, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has now concluded its detailed investigation.
The assessment, referred to as a “governance diagnostic,” was carried out to uncover possible weaknesses in the system that may lead to corruption and misuse of public resources.
The IMF wrapped up the process on Tuesday evening and announced that a detailed report will be made public before the end of this year.
This diagnostic was conducted by the IMF’s Technical Assistance team and was aimed at identifying areas where corruption may be hurting the country’s economy, especially in how government funds are collected and spent.
It also focused on helping Kenya strengthen its anti-corruption systems and improve overall governance.
Leading the mission was Rebecca Sparkman, the IMF’s Chief of Fiscal Affairs. Her team visited Kenya between June 16 and June 30, 2025.
This visit followed an earlier scoping mission that took place from March 3 to March 5, which helped determine the focus areas for the main investigation.
During their stay, the IMF team held meetings with various officials from the government, as well as representatives from civil society, the private sector, and other stakeholders.
They examined several government institutions to assess their vulnerability to corruption and to understand how public finances are being managed.
The IMF engaged with government departments responsible for managing public funds, developing tax policies, and collecting revenue.
Meetings were also held with officials from the mining industry, market regulators, the judiciary, the Central Bank, financial oversight bodies, and Kenya’s Anti-Money Laundering agencies.
A key part of the mission involved discussions with Kenya’s anti-corruption officers. These talks focused on how well the country’s legal and institutional frameworks are working to prevent and fight corruption.
The team also sought feedback from non-governmental stakeholders to gain a clearer understanding of the challenges Kenya faces in promoting transparency and accountability.
In their official statement, the IMF expressed appreciation to the Kenyan government and all involved parties. “The IMF team would like to thank the Kenyan authorities and other stakeholders for their hospitality, excellent cooperation, and candid and constructive discussions,” the statement read.
The IMF further noted that work on the governance diagnostic will continue in the coming months. A draft report is already in the works and will include the findings from the mission along with a step-by-step plan recommending reforms that Kenya can follow to fight corruption more effectively.
This entire exercise was initiated by President Ruto’s administration in November last year. The government had requested the IMF to carry out this evaluation in hopes of using the findings to improve the efficiency of public spending, support economic growth, and fight poverty.
At the same time, Kenya continues to face serious debt challenges, which have made it difficult to raise enough funds to support essential government functions.
The IMF hopes that by addressing corruption and improving governance, the country will be in a better position to manage its finances and reduce the debt burden.
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