NAIROBI, Kenya, May 6 — Civil society groups led by the Kenya Human Rights Commission and the Okoa Uchumi campaign are demanding that the National Assembly compel the government to publicly release the International Monetary Fund Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Report for Kenya within 30 days.
In a formal petition submitted to Parliament, the groups argue that the report—commissioned by the Kenyan government and conducted by the IMF—contains critical findings on systemic governance weaknesses, corruption vulnerabilities and institutional gaps affecting the management of public resources.
Despite being completed and handed over to the government, the report has not been made public.
The groups say the document is of significant public interest, particularly as Kenyans face rising taxes, a high cost of living and growing concerns over public debt management.
“At a time when Kenyans are being required to bear increased taxation and other economic adjustment measures in the name of fiscal stability, it is both reasonable and just that citizens and their elected representatives have access to information on governance weaknesses and corruption risks affecting the raising and use of public resources,” the petitioners said.
“Disclosure of the Governance and Corruption Diagnostic would strengthen accountability, enable meaningful public participation and help restore public confidence in ongoing economic reforms.”
Oversight mandate
The petition is addressed to Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and several key parliamentary committee chairpersons, including those overseeing finance, budget, justice and public accounts.
The civil society groups want Parliament to exercise its constitutional oversight role and ensure the document is tabled, scrutinised and made accessible to the public.
According to the petition, the IMF conducted the diagnostic assessment in mid-2025, examining governance challenges across key sectors such as public financial management, procurement systems, tax administration, state-owned enterprises and anti-corruption enforcement mechanisms.
The process included consultations with government agencies, oversight bodies and civil society actors.
However, the petitioners raised concerns that the government has already begun implementing some recommendations from the report internally, without allowing Parliament or the public to review its contents.
“This selective engagement with the report, without affording Parliament or the public an opportunity to scrutinise its contents, undermines the principles of transparency and public participation that should underpin governance reform,” the petition states.
Key policy decisions
The groups also warn that key policy decisions tied to IMF-supported programmes—including fiscal reforms, debt management strategies and the operation of new financing mechanisms such as the National Infrastructure Fund—could be influenced by the report’s findings.
Among their demands, the petitioners urge Parliament to table the full, unredacted report before the National Assembly and provide a formal government response outlining planned reforms.
They also asked Parliament to facilitate public hearings and participation in reviewing the report and bar any new IMF-supported lending programme until the report is disclosed and debated
The petition has been endorsed by a broad coalition of civil society organisations, including Transparency International Kenya, Amnesty International Kenya and Oxfam Kenya, among others.
The groups maintain that making the report public would align Kenya with international best practices on fiscal transparency and help restore public confidence in ongoing economic reforms.
Parliament is expected to consider the petition in line with its standing orders, which provide for citizen submissions on matters within its mandate.