Lawyer Willis Otieno has strongly criticised Kenya’s public debt after it crossed the Ksh13 trillion mark, describing it as a heavy burden on ordinary citizens that demands full transparency and accountability.

In a post on his official X account on Friday, June 5, 2026, Otieno demanded clarity from the government on how the borrowed funds are spent.

Further demanding an explanation from the government on why future generations should bear the cost of such debts.

“Ksh13 trillion in debt is a burden carried by every Kenyan through higher taxes, reduced public services, and fewer economic opportunities. If it takes decades to repay, then Kenyans have every right to ask who benefited, where the money went, and why future generations should bear the cost,” Otieno explained.

“We cannot normalise economic mismanagement and then expect citizens to quietly pay the bill. Accountability for public debt is not optional; it is essential. Kenyans must not be forced to pay for economic crimes committed against them,” Otieno added.

Kenya’s rising debt

The remarks come days after official data by the National Treasury showed Kenya’s total public debt reaching approximately Ksh13.02 trillion for the first time.

Kenya’s total public and publicly guaranteed debt rose to Ksh12.84 trillion at the end of February 2026, the highest level on record, pushing the debt-to-GDP ratio to 69.5% and narrowing the gap to the 73.4% peak recorded in 2023.

Data from the National Treasury shows domestic debt accounted for most of the increase as the government expanded borrowing from local lenders while also carrying out bond buybacks, switches and refinancing measures aimed at easing repayment pressure.

According to the Central Bank of Kenya’s weekly bulletin, domestic debt stood at Ksh7.24 trillion as of May 15, 2026, while external debt was Ksh5.78 trillion as of end-February 2026.

Cumulative domestic interest payments of Ksh580.89 billion against an annual budget of Ksh851.42 billion illustrate the compounding cost of a bond stock that has more than doubled since 2019.

Banks held KSh 2.48 trillion of domestic debt by February, up Ksh115.25 billion in the month alone, while insurance companies and pension funds collectively held Ksh1.91 trillion.

On the external side, multilateral debt grew Ksh263.82 billion year-on-year to KSh 3.09 trillion, now accounting for 53.4% of total external debt.

Meanwhile, China’s bilateral exposure fell to Ksh615.36 billion, down Ksh170.14 billion (-21.7%) since September 2022 when President Ruto took office, as Kenya has steadily shifted toward multilateral and commercial sources.