CS JOHN MBADI BOASTS ECONOMIC STABILIZATION AFTER REVIVING CASH-STRAPPED TREASURY
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has boasted of stabilizing Kenya’s economy after inheriting a cash strapped Treasury that struggled to meet recurrent expenditures and debt payments.
Speaking in Migori on Sunday, 23rd Nov,2025 Mbadi recounted how, upon taking office, he and his team were uncertain if they would be able to pay salaries or service loans, a situation that caused instability including a decline in the shilling’s value last year.
“Last year, when I was appointed to Treasury…. Sometimes we could sit with my PS and the Director General of accounting services, and we were not sure we could pay salaries. We could not tell Kenyans that we are finding it hard to pay salaries, we were not sure whether we would pay loans. That is why you saw what happened to the shilling last year … because we were not clear we would pay loans,” said Mbadi.
He credited recent economic improvements to deliberate policy measures and the strong support of the President, which enabled greater fiscal discipline and economic recovery.
Mbadi highlighted achievements such as the upgrade of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital and projects worth Ksh 2.3 billion targeted for Migori County.
While appealing to the Luo community to support Ruto, Mbadi said Migori County would benefit from projects worth Ksh.2.3B.
He also urged critics to acknowledge the progress made and pointed out that some of the current economic foundations were laid before his tenure.
“Yet this economy has been run by other people previously. Then you are saying we have done nothing? We have even de-risked the loan that was to be paid in 2027,” added Mbadi.
Despite challenges like high public debt and inflationary pressures, Mbadi emphasized ongoing reforms aimed at further stabilizing and growing the economy, including improved fiscal transparency, digitization of revenue collection, and better budget management