Child Rights Organizations warns budget cut on essential services may undermine country’s commitment to protect and uplift children
NAIROBI, Kenya, June 9 – Ahead of the 2025/2026 National Budget Reading Child Rights Organizations have raised an alarm over critical cut warning that reductions in essential services and sectors could undermine Kenya’s commitments to protect and uplift children.
Mtoto News in collaboration with World Vision Kenya, Stakeholders and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) hosted a forum to analyse recent National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee Report calling for accountability and transparency on how public finances affect children.
World Vision Kenya, Director, Policy, Advocacy and Government Relations Mr. Bonyo Elijah Don while engaging the forum noted that the budget process must go beyond symbolic public participation and instead focus on tracking weather Kenyan government allocations translate into tangible improvements in children lives.
“We must ask ourselves, what are financial matters? Is it just about the budget approved? NO”, Bonyo asked.
Mr. Bonyo cited specific pledges made by the government to end violence against children in November 2024 which includes training 100,000 teachers on psychosocial support and positive discipline, enhancing digital safety in schools and revising the Children Services Act.
“These are tangible commitments, the question is how much has been allocated to realize them and is that money being tracked?”, he asked.
In addition, Bonyo lauded The National Treasury for its 2025/2026 budget guidelines that for the first time call for child sensitive budgeting, the guidelines urge the Ministries, Departments and agencies to identify and prioritize child rights and gender response interventions.
However, despite the pledges stakeholders questioned weather the 2025/2026 budget reflects these priorities actual allocations are, of the most debatable issues raised was the Ksh 900 million cut to capitation for primary schools under the State Department of Basic Education.
They noted that it comes at a time schools are struggling with delayed funding and increased reliance on parents to fill the gap.
“Why cut funding to primary education when children are still crying out for quality, free schooling?”.
Furthermore, the forum acknowledged some positive shifts, the education budget includes KSH 100 million for special needs infrastructure and Ksh 160 million earmarked for projects proposal during public consultations.
Children inclusivity in the recent budget was welcomed as a progressive step ,however stakeholders warned that children’s voices should not be reduced to tokenism.
Citizens have been urged to scrutinize budget adjustments, compare treasury’s initial proposals with final budget estimates, demand explanations of any increased or reduction in key child focused areas.
“Public finance is a constitutional matter ,the constitution demands that citizens be involved not just when proposal are tabled, but throughout the budget cycle “.
