The International Centre for Policy and Conflict (ICPC) is calling on domestic and foreign lenders to stop advancing loans to the Kenyan government until a forensic audit is conducted.

In a statement, the lobby maintains that while the independent debt audit is proceeding, the country’s development partners supporting specific essential service sectors can continue with those projects.

The statement terms the country’s current economic crisis as a consequence of fiscal profligacy financed by borrowed and stolen unexplained and illegal debt.

“To adopt a tax revenue raising measures only as solution is grossly defeatist. There has to be a comprehensive debt audit combined with radical fiscal policy reforms anchored on revenue increases and radical government expenditure rationalization to reduce fiscal deficits and deep growth enhancing structural reforms,” reads the document.

At the same time, the Council urged the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights (UNHCR) to open an expeditious independent investigation into police brutality and violations with meted on Kenyan protesters by the police.

“With a history of police impunity in Kenya, we urge the UNHCR to open expeditious independent investigations into police brutality and violations with direct recommendations on accountability and redress for victims, and dismantling police systematic criminality,” it states

The release adds; “ICPC notes with deep concern the unjustified and unacceptable Kenya Government brutal and cruel response to public protests against deep-seated economic deprivation grievances,

“Rising Kenya citizenry anger about economic deprivation problems cannot be resolved by state violence. The Gen Z-led protests are an economic crisis. They are demanding governance for economic dignity.’

Regarding the debt burden, the international body called on private and bilateral creditors both domestic and foreign to Kenya government to withdraw any further loans lending until the office of Auditor General conducts a comprehensive independent forensic audit of the country’s domestic, foreign, concessional and commercial debts.

“This includes the total amount of state guarantees to all state owned enterprises and governmental agencies in order to track exactly what has happened with all the loan money,

“For purposes of independent forensic audit transparency, it will be important for the process of identifying the audit agency to be made public. Further, the rapid publication of the audit’s terms of reference as a means for external stakeholders to verify the details of the audit agreement.

The lobby accused local banking and financial institutions of being major conduits of illegal and unconstitutional domestic debt and said they must be held culpable for lending loans to the government contrary to the constitution and budget laws.

“The economy has reached its limit due to decades of low productivity growth, significant private sector investments reduction, public investments budgeted for stealing, history of declined exports and terrible government expenditures that are beyond its means.