President William Ruto has announced a raft of reforms aimed at entrenching transparency, accountability and public access to information across government, saying the measures are designed to strengthen public trust and combat misinformation. 
By Fredrick Kioko,
President William Ruto has announced a raft of reforms aimed at entrenching transparency, accountability and public access to information across government, saying the measures are designed to strengthen public trust and combat misinformation.
Speaking at State House, Nairobi, during the launch of consultations for Kenya's inaugural State of Openness Report, the President said the government is committed to making ministries, departments and agencies more open, accessible and accountable to citizens.
Ruto said the administration is leveraging technology to improve service delivery, revealing that the number of digitised government services has increased from 350 in 2022 to more than 26,000, making public services more efficient and accessible.
He said the introduction of the Unified Government Digital Payment Platform has helped seal revenue leakages, reduce opportunities for corruption and enhance accountability in the collection of public funds. The government has also rolled out an electronic procurement system to promote transparency, fair competition and prudent use of public resources.
The President further highlighted reforms in state corporations, saying a new law now ensures transparent, merit-based and competitive recruitment free from political interference. He added that the recently enacted Conflict of Interest Act has strengthened integrity by enhancing transparency, accountability and ethical conduct among public officers.
On the implementation of the National Infrastructure Fund (NIF), Ruto said the government has introduced safeguards to enhance institutional independence and accountability, including limiting the President's role in appointing members of the fund's council.
The Head of State directed all ministries, departments, agencies, constitutional commissions and county governments to fully cooperate with the Commission on Administrative Justice by providing timely, accurate and comprehensive information during the preparation of the State of Openness Report.
According to the President, the report, expected to be launched later this year, will establish a national benchmark for measuring transparency, accountability and institutional performance across government, while identifying areas that require reforms to strengthen public confidence. He said it will be the first report of its kind in the world.
