Media and political communications expert, Hesbon Hansen Owilla has called for stronger accountability and better communication in implementing Kenya’s reform frameworks.
Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Monday, he said the 10-Point Agenda and the NADCO report should guide governance and public debate.
He argued that without clear implementation and transparency, such documents risk remaining political statements.
His comments come amid continued public debate over economic pressures, including taxation, rising living costs and the country’s growing debt burden.
Owilla said the 10-Point Agenda had become a key reference point in political conversations following the cooperation between President William Ruto and the late opposition leader Raila Odinga aimed at easing political tensions and addressing governance challenges.
According to the analyst, the document outlines critical priorities such as inclusivity, leadership accountability and economic reforms designed to respond to the concerns that have dominated national debate.
“The 10-Point Agenda becomes the basis of many of the conversations going forward,” Owilla said.
The National Dialogue Committee report and the 10-Point Agenda emerged from political negotiations aimed at easing tensions and addressing governance concerns following the disputed 2022 elections and months of opposition protests in 2023.
The NADCO committee was co-chaired by Kalonzo Musyoka and Kimani Ichung’wah after a truce between the ruling coalition and the opposition to create a platform for dialogue and national consensus.
The committee produced a report in November 2023 recommending constitutional, legal and policy reforms aimed at resolving major political and economic concerns raised by Kenyans.
Key proposals included restructuring the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, auditing the 2022 presidential election, addressing the rising cost of living, strengthening devolution and introducing new offices such as the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Official Opposition.
The 10-Point Agenda later emerged as part of a Memorandum of Understanding between President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga in March 2025.
The framework was designed to guide cooperation between the government and opposition while implementing recommendations from the NADCO report.
The agenda focuses on issues such as inclusivity in governance, protecting devolution, addressing national debt, fighting corruption, promoting youth livelihoods and safeguarding constitutional rights including peaceful assembly.
It also seeks to promote political stability and national cohesion through bipartisan engagement and policy reforms.
Together, the NADCO report and the 10-Point Agenda are intended to provide a roadmap for political dialogue, governance reforms and economic stability while responding to concerns raised by citizens during protests and public consultations across the country.
Owilla argued that the proposals were partly aimed at addressing grievances that had pushed many Kenyans to protest, including the high cost of living and concerns about taxation policies such as those proposed in the Finance Bill 2024.
However, he said many of the measures contained in the agenda and national budget have not been clearly explained to citizens.
He said the government should adopt a more comprehensive approach in communicating its economic policies, particularly regarding debt management and fiscal reforms.
“It is the business of the government to explain our debt obligations, how we got here and what measures are being taken to address them,” he said.
Owilla cited initiatives such as the housing levy, which he said was intended to stimulate job creation through increased construction and housing development.
According to him, such programmes could expand employment opportunities, increase incomes and eventually broaden the tax base.
But he argued that the government had not effectively communicated how these policies were expected to benefit citizens.
“No one has had that conversation with the public,” Owilla explain.
The analyst also pointed to budget allocations designed to support marginalised communities, including funding for rural financial inclusion and agricultural development.
He said such programmes could support small businesses and farmers in rural areas if implemented and communicated effectively.
The analyst noted that many people in regions such as Suna East in Migori County were unaware that government funds had been allocated to support rural enterprises.
“I do not know to what extent leaders in those regions have sensitised citizens about these opportunities,” he said.
He also raised concerns about public financial management, citing reports that Kenya loses billions of shillings annually through corruption and inefficiencies.
According to Owilla, such losses significantly undermine national development and public trust in government institutions.
Kenya’s constitution already provides clear guidance on borrowing, he noted, including the principle that loans should primarily fund development projects rather than recurrent expenditure.
But he said constitutional provisions alone were not enough if they were not fully implemented.
“The Constitution is an ideal that must be operationalised,” he added.
He also addressed criticism from legal scholar Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, who has previously argued that many of the issues discussed in political reform frameworks are already covered by the constitution.
While acknowledging that many of the principles already exist in law, Owilla said documents such as the NADCO report and the 10-Point Agenda remain important because they create formal records that can be used to hold leaders accountable.
“These documents become points of reference for calling power to account,” he said.
He added that Kenya’s political environment often produces closely contested elections, meaning large sections of the population may feel excluded from power.
In such circumstances, dialogue frameworks like the NADCO process can help stabilise politics and create platforms for reform discussions.
Ultimately, Owilla said the success of these initiatives will depend on whether leaders move from discussion to implementation. “Power must always be held accountable,” he said.