Nairobi's Budget Transparency Score Slumps as County Scores a Dismal 17 Out of 100 on Public Participation

Nairobi County's budget transparency score has declined for the first time in recent years, according to the 2025 County Budget Transparency Survey (CBTS), raising fresh concerns over accountability, public participation and access to budget information within the capital's administration.

The findings, released on Thursday, June 4, show that Nairobi scored 67 out of 100 points on the transparency index, down from 72 points recorded in 2024.

The survey, conducted annually by the Council of Governors in partnership with Bajeti Hub, evaluates how counties publish and share budget information with the public, focusing on the timeliness, availability, and comprehensiveness of key budget documents.

According to the report, Nairobi published only six of the ten key budget documents required under the assessment within the stipulated timelines.

“In the CBTS 2025, Nairobi County published six out of ten key budget documents promptly and scored 67 out of 100 points based on nine publicly available documents. This represented a decline from 72 out of 100 points in CBTS 2024,” the report stated.

The findings come at a time when the administration of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is facing increased scrutiny over transparency and the management of public resources.

Notably, the report was released on the same day that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) announced the recovery of approximately Ksh65.3 million in cash during a raid at the residence of a senior Nairobi County official from the Urban Planning Department as part of an ongoing corruption investigation.

Missing Documents and Delayed Reporting

The survey found that Nairobi failed to publish several critical budget documents within legally required timelines, including the Approved Programme-Based Budget, the Finance Act and County Quarterly Budget Implementation Reports.

The delays significantly affected the county's overall transparency score and raised questions about compliance with public finance management requirements.

The report also identified major shortcomings in the disclosure of information relating to development projects.

Nairobi scored just 34 out of 100 points in the capital projects category, with many budget documents lacking crucial details such as project locations, budget allocations, implementation timelines and progress updates.

Researchers noted that key publications, including the Citizens Budget—commonly referred to as the Mwananchi Budget—and Quarterly Budget Implementation Reports, failed to provide adequate information that would allow residents to track development projects and monitor spending.

Public Participation Emerges as Biggest Concern

Public participation was identified as Nairobi County's weakest area, receiving only 17 out of 100 points.

According to the report, several planning and budgeting documents did not provide evidence of public engagement or indicate how citizens' views were incorporated into final decisions.

The findings suggest that residents have limited opportunities to influence budget priorities despite constitutional requirements that public participation be integrated into government planning and expenditure processes.

The survey also highlighted weaknesses in narrative explanations accompanying financial reports and disclosures relating to pending bills, resulting in scores of 67 and 50 points respectively in those categories.

Progress Made, But More Work Needed

Despite the decline, the survey acknowledged that Nairobi has made gradual improvements in recent years by increasing the number of key budget documents available to the public.

The county successfully published six of the ten required documents on time, demonstrating some progress toward greater openness in financial reporting.

However, researchers recommended stricter adherence to budget cycle timelines, more comprehensive disclosure of revenue and expenditure data, enhanced reporting on development projects and improved transparency regarding pending bills.

The report further urged county officials to strengthen public participation mechanisms and ensure residents are meaningfully involved in decision-making processes.

How Nairobi Compares Nationally

Nationally, Nairobi ranked 21st out of Kenya's 47 counties, tying with Kajiado County and Elgeyo-Marakwet County.

The top-performing counties were led by Makueni County with 89 points, followed by Nyeri County with 88 points, Nakuru County with 87 points and Busia County with 85 points.

These were the only counties classified in the highest transparency category, setting the benchmark for openness, accountability and public access to budget information.

For Nairobi, the latest findings present a challenge to reverse the downward trend and restore confidence in the county's financial management systems as demands for accountability continue to grow.