KHRC takes sues Treasury Over Kenya’s debt
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has now sued the country’s Finance Minister Ukur Yatani and Justice Minister Paul Kihara for information on the country’s debt situation.
In a statement released on Thursday, KHRC criticized the government for taking an “opaque and opaque approach” to what it called Kenya’s debt, despite constitutional requirements for public disclosure of all aspects of borrowing.
The commission said it wrote to CS Yatani for information on February 7, 2022, but received no response, saying it was an abuse of the constitution.
“The Cabinet Secretary, National Treasury, and Planning has been increasingly borrowing money on behalf of the national government and Kenyans, and has taken expensive loans bilaterally from States, international financial institutions, and corporations over the past decade,” stated KHRC in the statement.
“The National Executive has also floated bonds both domestically and internationally as means of raising funds. However, the processes of borrowing through loans and raising sums through the floating of sovereign bonds have not been transparent as the Kenyan public is not involved in the process and is only left to rely on stories from the media.”
The statement added: “The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and Wanjiru Gikonyo (National Coordinator of the Institute for Social Responsibility – TISA) have filed a lawsuit in the Kenya High Court in Nairobi for information on Kenya’s debts with other national and international financial institutions. or treaties, agreements, and contracts signed by companies.”
KHRC said that for reasons of public accountability, the National Treasury cannot continue to borrow on Kenya’s behalf without providing relevant documentation.
The committee further added that the purpose of making the afore-mentioned documents available to the public is to enable citizens to actively participate in sovereign debt issues as they affect their cost of living.
Also read:
Ndindi Nyoro: Funding for the vice president’s office has been cut,
