The Office of the Controller of Budget (CoB) has thrown its weight behind proposals aimed at strengthening parliamentary oversight, transparency and accountability in the management of Kenya's public debt, while cautioning against creating parallel reporting systems that duplicate existing constitutional mechanisms.
Dr. Margaret Nyakang’o, when she appeared before the National Assembly's Public Petitions Committee on Petition No. 10 of 2026, the COB said that the Constitution already provides robust oversight tools that can be enhanced to improve public debt governance.
The CoB informed the committee that its quarterly and annual Budget Implementation Review Reports already provide independently verified information on debt servicing and should form the foundation of enhanced debt oversight.
"The CoB already produces and publishes National and County Governments' Budget Implementation Review Reports on a quarterly and annual basis. These reports capture actual expenditure on public debt servicing against approved budgets and are made publicly accessible, providing a standing and independently verified source of debt service expenditure data." Nyakang’o said on Tuesday.
The office argued that Parliament should leverage the existing reporting framework instead of establishing new reporting structures.
Nyakang’o said, "This existing reporting architecture offers the Committee and the Petitioners a credible, independent data source that can be strengthened and better linked to any new debt transparency mechanisms, rather than replaced."
The Controller of Budget supported several recommendations contained in the petition, including formally designating its budget implementation reports as standing references for parliamentary debt oversight.
"The CoB recommends that the four-monthly Budget Implementation Review Reports under Article 228(4) be formally designated as a standing input to parliamentary debt oversight, alongside National Treasury and Central Bank of Kenya reporting," Nyakang’o said.
The office also endorsed harmonising any future public debt disclosure requirements with its existing reporting formats to avoid duplication.
She added, "The CoB already publishes County and National Budget Implementation Review Reports in accessible formats. The CoB recommends that any new disclosure standard for debt data be harmonised with the format and timelines of these existing reports to avoid duplication and confusion among users."
On debt management systems, the Controller of Budget highlighted the importance of the Commonwealth Meridian debt management platform, noting that it enhances standardisation, centralised record-keeping, transparency and portfolio management across government.
Regarding calls for a central public debt repository, the CoB said the responsibility should remain with the National Treasury through the Public Debt Management Office.
"Supported in principle. Custodianship properly sits with the National Treasury through the Public Debt Management Office, as the entity that contracts and services debt," she said.
The office further backed increased investment in independent fiscal analysis but maintained that existing oversight institutions should be strengthened rather than creating new ones.
"Supported. The CoB notes that credible independent analysis requires adequate resourcing of existing institutions, including the Parliamentary Budget Office and the CoB's own analytical function, rather than the creation of new bodies."
While supporting public participation in debt governance, the CoB observed that convening national public forums falls outside its constitutional mandate.
"Supported in principle. Convening such platforms falls outside the CoB's core mandate but can be done on invitation."
It nevertheless welcomed closer collaboration with Parliament and civil society organisations on budget implementation and fiscal accountability.
"Supported. The CoB welcomes closer coordination with the Committee and civil society organisations on matters of budget implementation and fiscal accountability, consistent with its constitutional public engagement obligations."
On intergenerational equity, the Controller of Budget said the principle is already embedded in the Public Finance Management Act and recommended strengthening it through amendments to existing legislation instead of enacting a separate law.
"Supported. The fiscal responsibility principles already set out in section 15 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012, embed elements of intergenerational equity. The CoB recommends anchoring this prayer through amendment of the Act, consistent with the ongoing Amendment Bill process to which The CoB has previously made submissions, rather than through new stand-alone legislation."
The submission places the Controller of Budget among the key constitutional offices backing reforms to improve transparency in public debt management while urging Parliament to build on existing constitutional and statutory oversight mechanisms rather than establishing parallel structures.