The Democracy for the Citizens (DCP) Secretary for Planning and Economic Affairs, Peter Mbae, has questioned the government’s claim that the 2026/27 budget is based on a zero-based budgeting framework, arguing that there is little evidence to support such assertions.

Speaking during an interview with K24 TV on Thursday, June 11, 2026, Mbae said the spending plan appears to follow the traditional approach of increasing allocations rather than requiring ministries and departments to justify expenditure from scratch.

Questions over zero-based budgeting

“At no point has this government sat down to do a zero-based budget in the first place. There is no way the Principal Secretary can say that this is a zero-based budget. There is no way we can have performance and delivery on a top-up budget,” Mbae said.

He argued that government officials should be speaking about plans to implement zero-based budgeting rather than claiming it has already been achieved.

According to Mbae, the budgeting process still reflects a continuation of previous spending patterns, with little indication of the rigorous expenditure reviews associated with a true zero-based approach.

Demand for accountability

The economist recalled previous efforts to push ministries and state departments to justify every allocation before receiving funding.

“We said every Principal Secretary should come with technical directors, CFOs, and officers in charge of finance and explain where every shilling is going. We wanted them to tell us where the money is needed so that resources can be rearranged and directed to the right priorities,” he said.

Mbae maintained that detailed scrutiny of expenditure is necessary to eliminate waste and ensure public funds deliver value to taxpayers.

Performance begins with budgeting

He further argued that effective service delivery starts with a credible budgeting process, warning that weak planning inevitably affects implementation.

“There is no way you can talk about performance and delivery without a budget. Performance and delivery start after the budget,” he said.

His remarks come amid ongoing debate over the government’s implementation of zero-based budgeting, a framework that Treasury officials say will improve efficiency and strengthen accountability in public spending.

However, critics argue that the latest budget still bears the hallmarks of an incremental or “top-up” approach rather than a fundamental review of expenditure priorities.