Ten key events that will shape Kenya's economic future in 2026

President William Ruto during the launch of the Rironi–Mau Summit dual carriageway project at the Total Junction in Mau Summit. [File, Standard]

1. Securing a New IMF Programme

Discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will dominate the first half of the year.
Kenya is actively negotiating for a new funding arrangement. The stakes could not be higher. After the tumult of 2024, Gen Z-led protests and the stalling of key reforms, a new agreement is seen as the essential anchor for macroeconomic stability, a catalyst for concessional funding from other multilateral lenders, and a crucial signal to jittery international investors. The core sticking points remain, analysts warn, including the treatment of securitised debt (like the road annuity programme), the pace of fiscal consolidation, and tangible progress on structural reforms, particularly privatisation. Failure to secure a credible programme would severely strain public finances and shake market confidence, analysts say.