NAIROBI, Kenya Juy 16 – President William Ruto has said the Government is strengthening transparency and expanding access tRuto Pledges Greater Access to Public Information in Push for Open Governmento public information as part of efforts to build public trust and combat misinformation, disinformation and fake news.
Speaking at State House, Nairobi, on Thursday during the launch of consultations for Kenya’s inaugural State of Openness Report, the President said openness has become increasingly important in the digital age, where vast amounts of information circulate rapidly.
“With so much information available in the public space because of technology, and the accompanying challenge of misinformation and fake news, openness is now much more important for the Government than anybody else. I think the Government needs openness more than at any other time in our history,” he said.
President Ruto said the State of Openness Report will establish a national benchmark for measuring transparency, accountability and institutional performance across government. He noted that the report will provide an honest assessment of the country’s progress and identify areas requiring reform to strengthen public trust.
He directed all ministries, departments, agencies, constitutional commissions and county governments to fully cooperate with the Commission on Administrative Justice by providing timely and accurate information during the exercise.
“A confident Government does not fear scrutiny; in fact, it welcomes scrutiny,” he said.
The report, expected to be launched later this year, will be the first of its kind globally. The President reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to the Open Government Partnership, of which the country has been a member since its inception in 2011.
To support the initiative, President Ruto pledged KSh100 million to facilitate the operations of the Commission on Administrative Justice.
The President highlighted a number of reforms implemented over the past decade to enhance transparency and accountability in government.
He said digitisation of government services has expanded significantly, from 350 services in 2022 to more than 26,000 today, improving accessibility, efficiency and accountability.
The Government has also rolled out a Unified Government Digital Payment Platform to eliminate revenue leakages, reduce opportunities for corruption and strengthen accountability in public revenue collection.
“We have not only enhanced Government revenue collection, but also eliminated cash transactions that undermined transparency and promoted corruption,” he said.
President Ruto further pointed to the implementation of the Electronic Government Procurement system, saying it has enhanced transparency and competition in public procurement while ensuring prudent use of public resources.
“It is providing us with an open platform where Government procurement is subjected to scrutiny,” he said.
On governance reforms, the President said the Government-Owned Enterprises Act has strengthened merit-based recruitment in state corporations by limiting political influence in appointments.
He noted that nearly 250 board members across 66 commercial state corporations had been replaced to pave the way for competitive recruitment of professionals.
The law also bars individuals who have engaged in active politics within the previous five years from serving on the boards of government-owned enterprises.
President Ruto added that the Conflict of Interest Act and the National Infrastructure Fund Act contain measures designed to strengthen integrity, transparency and accountability in public service and infrastructure development.
He said the governance structure of the National Infrastructure Fund had been designed to ensure independence and minimise conflicts of interest.
British High Commissioner to Kenya Matt Baugh commended Kenya’s commitment to open government, describing transparency and accountability as essential pillars of democratic legitimacy, public trust and economic growth.
“A transparent, accountable Government attracts investment, reduces the cost of doing business and delivers better outcomes for citizens,” he said.
German Ambassador Sebastian Groth praised Kenya’s inclusive approach to open governance and pledged Germany’s support for the initiative.
Commission on Administrative Justice Chairperson Charles Dulo said the commission remained committed to implementing the State of Openness Report with independence, integrity and professionalism, and called on all stakeholders to support the process.
The event was attended by Attorney-General Dorcas Oduor, representatives of the European Union, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the World Bank and senior officials from the Commission on Administrative Justice.
