Browsing: devaluation of the Kenyan Shilling

• Kenya’s debt repayment in 2023 was majorly from the Consolidated Fund. 
• The country has faced liquidity challenges due to uncertainty in accessing funding from global financial markets.
• Analysts, however, maintain that the practice of taking on debt to pay debt is unsustainable.

The National Treasury has revealed that Kenya’s debt repayment surged to $3.69 billion (KSh600.73 billion) by December 2023. Despite an increase in revenue collection, Kenyans found little reason to rejoice as debt consumed 57 per cent of the government’s tax revenues, amounting to $6.14 billion (about KSh1.05 trillion).

Only 43 per cent of the generated revenue remained for development, salaries, and the state’s recurrent expenditure such as paying salaries.

The disclosure, titled “Kenya’s statement of actual revenues & net exchequer issues as of 31st Dec 2023,” signals a need for Kenyans to tighten their belts this year. President William Ruto’s administration anticipates higher repayments due to the devaluation …