Oburu defends 2026 budget
Politics
By
Mike Kihaki
| Jun 14, 2026
Orange Democratic Movement Party leader Oburu Oginga has defended the government's budget deficit financing strategy, arguing that borrowing to bridge revenue gaps is a common practice worldwide and that Kenya is right to prioritize domestic borrowing over external debt.
Speaking during a church fundraiser at SDA Kiserian in Kajiado County attended by President William Ruto and several ODM leaders, Oburu dismissed criticism over the country's borrowing levels, saying the focus should be on how the deficit is financed rather than the existence of the deficit itself.
“People are complaining that there is a big deficit in the financing of the country. But as a finance expert, I can tell you that the level the country is borrowing, we are doing it internally,” Oburu said.
“We only want to trade with the external. We better borrow from within because when you borrow from external sources, they exploit you and it becomes a big burden.”
The remarks come amid ongoing debate over Kenya's public debt and financing of development projects. The 2025/2026 budget projects a significant financing gap that the government intends to bridge through a combination of domestic and external borrowing.
READ MORE
Kenya marks Albinism Awareness Day as advocates push for more support
Why Kenya needs a major development coalition urgently
South Korea's ex-president gets 30 years over North Korea drone incident
Somali referee banned by US to officiate European Super Cup UEFA
Publicprivate partnerships can deliver universal access to clean water by 2030
Five people killed, three injured in road accident
Make it in Kenya': Ruto dares Belgian firms to ditch raw material exports
Somali referee axed from World Cup after being denied entry to US
How politicised public service and toothless Parliament have failed us
MPs escape the sack over gender rule, but not yet out of the woods
Oburu argued that the government's strategy of mobilizing resources locally through initiatives such as the Housing Levy and infrastructure funds was helping finance critical development projects without exposing the country to excessive external debt.
“You have created an infrastructure fund and the Housing Levy. People are complaining but we can see results. You are raising money from within to develop our own country,” he said.
“When you have a gap in revenue and development expenditure, this is nothing new. All countries have it, but how you finance the deficit is important.”
He also praised President Ruto's work ethic, dismissing claims by critics that the Head of State spends too much time travelling and campaigning.
“There are those who say they do not see what you are doing. I wonder if they exist in this country,” Oburu said.
“I have lived here for more than 80 years and the kind of energy I have seen you with is extraordinary. There has been no president who has done the kind of work you do. Some people may think you are campaigning, but you are inspecting development.”
His sentiments were echoed by ODM Chairperson and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, who defended the broad-based arrangement between ODM and the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Wanga said the government had ensured a more equitable distribution of development resources across the country, including regions that had historically felt marginalized.
“Many envy the President because he has ensured that every part of the country is considered in equal distribution of resources. We have many parts of this country like North Eastern, Nyanza and Kajiado which had been ignored, but in this regime all parts receive development,” she said.
She dismissed opposition criticism of the President's leadership and travel schedule, saying ODM had made a deliberate decision to work with the government.
“As an ODM party, we have decided we are going to work with you. You are serving your first term and you will contest for the second going forward,” she said.
Kisii Governor Simba Arati also reaffirmed support for the broad-based government, saying ODM members would remain committed to the political direction taken by party leader Raila Odinga.
“Where our party leader Raila Odinga left us, that is where we shall remain. Let no one confuse you. We must stick together,” Arati said.
Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku thanked President Ruto for supporting development projects in the county and for implementing the planned transition of Amboseli National Park management to the county government.
“As the Maa community, you have held our hand and corrected historical injustices. Our commitment to support you still stands,” Lenku said.