DCP calls for Ksh1T budget cut amid Finance Bill 2026 debate
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, June 3, 2026The Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) has intensified its opposition to the government’s 2026 fiscal plans, arguing that the national budget, not just the Finance Bill, is the cause of Kenya’s economic challenges.
Speaking in a morning interview with a local radio station on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, DCP Secretary for Planning and Economic Affairs, Peter Mbae, said the party would conduct a detailed review of the budget and push for significant reductions in government expenditure.
According to Mbae, the opposition party believes the current budget is unsustainable and places an unnecessary burden on taxpayers. He said DCP would scrutinise the budget “clause by clause” to identify areas where spending can be reduced.
“The budget is where the real issue lies, not even the Finance Bill. We, as DCP, will go through it clause by clause and tell Kenyans that we must cut Ksh1 trillion,” Mbae stated.
The former government official argued that reducing public expenditure is essential to easing pressure on citizens and businesses that have struggled under high taxes and the rising cost of living.
Call to MPs
Mbae also called on Kenyans to actively participate in the debate surrounding the budget and the Finance Bill, urging them to lobby their elected representatives to reject proposals they consider harmful to the economy.
“We will also urge them to tell their MPs to reject the wrong budget and Finance Bill,” he said.
His remarks come as Parliament prepares to debate the Finance Bill 2026/27 and the accompanying budget estimates, which have already attracted criticism from opposition leaders and civil society groups over concerns about taxation, public debt, and government spending.
The DCP has positioned itself as a vocal critic of the government’s economic policies, maintaining that Kenya’s fiscal challenges cannot be solved through increased taxation alone. Instead, the party argues that substantial cuts in government expenditure are necessary to reduce borrowing and create room for economic growth.
Approved Budget
The Kenyan Cabinet approved a Ksh4.7 trillion budget for the 2026/27 financial year. The fiscal framework targets Ksh3.53 trillion in projected revenues, leaving a significant deficit that will require borrowing.
Of the total expenditure, Ksh3.46 trillion has been allocated to recurrent spending, while Ksh749.5 billion will go toward development projects.