KENYA UNVEILS REAL-TIME TRACKER TO VISUALIZE NATIONAL DEBT GROWTH

This innovative digital tool provides an interactive and continuously updated dashboard that displays Kenya’s public debt accumulating by the second.

It consolidates information from the Treasury, Central Bank, and Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, showing monthly debt figures, expenditure, government revenue, GDP, and exchange rates.

The real-time data reveals Kenya’s debt rising by about 29,000 shillings every second, with the total public debt currently exceeding 12 trillion shillings, split between domestic and external borrowing.

“If you talk about the three big East African countries that is Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, Kenya has the most elevated debt levels both in terms of total quantum and also as a share of GDP. So as a share of GDP, Kenya’s is slightly less than 70 percent, just a couple of points below 70 percent, Uganda’s is about…I need to check but the last time I did it was about 55 percent or there about, less than 60 percent, and Tanzania’s is actually below 50 percent,” said Owino.

The National Debt Counter is more than just a numeric display; it offers scenario simulations allowing users to understand how policy changes or economic shocks could impact future debt levels.

Besides promoting fiscal transparency, the tool aims to increase financial literacy among citizens by visualizing the direct connection between rising debt and its consequences, such as increased taxation and reduced government spending on essentials like health and education.

“When we ask ourselves how much money was borrowed, and how much money was actually reported in deficit, and we compile that over the last 8 years, it suggests to us, and this requires confirmation by the debt management office that Kenya’s debt is actually under reported by as much as 5 percent of GDP,” said Kwame Owino, CEO, IEA.

Given the growing concerns over Kenya’s debt servicing costs, which have increasingly strained government budgets, this tool provides an accessible platform for informed public discourse and accountability.

By making complex data accessible and engaging, the Kenya National Debt Counter brings fiscal policy closer to the public, offering a new frontier for evidence-based economic engagement.

The tool’s real-time updates help demystify government borrowing and encourage a fact-based debate about sustainable financing and prudent economic management.

This development marks a significant step toward strengthening governance and ensuring that Kenyans are better informed about the economic realities affecting the nation