Budget Day: Cost of living, public spending top Kenyans' concerns
National
By
Esther Nyambura
| Jun 11, 2026
President William Ruto’s second-to-last budget reading has ignited nationwide debate.
Kenyans on the ground and on social media have weighed in on issues of rising cost of living, government wastage, and the effectiveness of public spending in the 2026-2027 financial plan.
From the elite to the mama mboga, the concerns appear strikingly similar. How to stretch a strained economy and whether public funds are being used efficiently.
Speaking on Citizen TV, former Devolution CAS Irungu Nyakera said the conversation goes beyond the size of the budget and into how resources are prioritised and accounted for.
“It’s really not about the money. It is prioritising the little money we collect. Somewhere the money collected is being lost, and that’s the challenge,” he said.
Among citizens, expectations remain grounded in the cost-of-living crisis, with many hoping the new budget will translate into tangible relief.
John Mwangi from Nyeri said Kenyans are watching closely to see whether the allocations will make a difference in their daily lives.
“We are expecting that basic commodities will go down. We hope that the money allocation will be used and we see its use…the money let it be used appropriately.”
Across the country, the recurring sentiment remains relief from the high cost of living and accountability in public spending.
In his defence, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said the budget is shaped by both local and global economic pressures, including external shocks affecting revenue and spending plans.
Speaking to KTN on Thursday, June 11, Mbadi said: “There is no easy budget. This year’s budget is informed by several challenges, and one of them is the external shock we are facing.”
CS John Mbadi: We are investing quite significantly in agriculture as the backbone of our economy. Agriculture is also largely devolved and that is something we are missing in our discussions when we talk about underfunding agriculture. The government is coming up with… pic.twitter.com/roBwXn9XqD — KTN News (@KTNNewsKE) June 11, 2026
According to him, there have also been many reforms, especially in KRA, and they will be able to collect more without necessarily increasing taxes, contrary to what people are saying.
“Our tax administration has challenges because business has moved from the normal traditional way into the digital economy. We are doing a lot of reforms within KRA, and in the next financial year, KRA will be able to collect more without raising tax rates,” said Mbadi.