Mudavadi says Kenya's GDP growth hits 5.3pc

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi in a recent function. [PCS]

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi says  Kenya’s GDP grew by 5.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, up from 4 per cent during the corresponding period in 2025.

Mudavadi also said the Kenyan shilling had remained stable against the US dollar for two years, with foreign exchange reserves hitting Sh1.93 trillion on October 1, 2026, equivalent to 6.1 months of import cover.

Speaking during the second National Development Implementation Committee (NDIC) meeting of 2026 at the Kenya School of Government in Nairobi on Monday, October 12, Mudavadi cited economic growth, currency stability and increased investor confidence among the key achievements of President William Ruto’s administration over the past four years.

He further pointed to the groundbreaking of the proposed Sh2.2 trillion Dangote East Africa Refinery in Lamu County, describing it as the largest single investment in Kenya and East Africa.

Mudavadi also highlighted the Nairobi Securities Exchange’s market capitalisation crossing the Sh4 trillion mark for the first time, alongside its reported performance in 2025 and the first half of 2026.

“These are not abstract statistics; they are the measurable dividends of stability, discipline and reform,” he said.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary said the government must use its remaining months before the August 2027 General Election to consolidate development gains, strengthen public institutions and sustain economic stability.

The meeting came against the backdrop of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s four-year delivery scorecard, released in January 2026, as the government reviews its performance under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

“Our agenda is to renew our social contract with the people of Kenya by demonstrating how President William Ruto’s administration has delivered on its Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA),” Mudavadi said.

He called on government officials to focus on measurable results, institutionalise long-term development programmes and ensure policies survive beyond individual administrations.

“Our defining legacy will not be any single project, however significant. It will be the discipline of long-term visioning,” he said.

Mudavadi also urged political leaders to respect the independence of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to peaceful elections, citing strengthened inter-agency coordination and the Uchaguzi Bila Noma roadmap developed by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to prevent electoral violence.

The meeting was attended by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and Principal Secretaries. Sakaja was also expected to brief the committee on the National Government–Nairobi City County Cooperation Agreement, particularly El Niño preparedness.