Kenya has begun preparations for what the government says will become the country’s first State of Openness Report, an initiative designed to strengthen transparency, accountability, and institutional performance across public institutions. Announced from State House in Nairobi, the exercise is intended to establish a national framework for evaluating how government ministries, departments, agencies, constitutional commissions, and county governments perform in serving the public while identifying areas requiring reform to improve governance and public confidence.
President William Ruto said the report will provide an objective assessment of government performance by recognizing areas of progress, identifying existing shortcomings, and recommending reforms aimed at strengthening public trust. He stated, “It will establish a national benchmark for measuring transparency, accountability and institutional performance across Government, while providing an honest assessment of where we are succeeding, what we must improve and the reforms necessary to strengthen public trust.”
As part of the initiative, the President directed all ministries, departments, agencies, constitutional commissions, and county governments to cooperate fully with Kenya’s Commission on Administrative Justice by providing timely, accurate, and comprehensive information throughout the assessment process. According to the official announcement, broad institutional participation is expected to ensure the report reflects an evidence-based evaluation of government openness and public service delivery.
President Ruto also indicated that the completed State of Openness Report is expected to be launched later this year and described it as an unprecedented undertaking. He remarked, “Our report on the state of openness, to be launched later in the year, will be the first of its kind in the world.” The initiative reflects Kenya’s stated commitment to advancing open governance, improving accountability mechanisms, and encouraging greater public confidence through regular measurement of institutional transparency.
The announcement has drawn attention among governance stakeholders, who note that initiatives promoting openness and access to public information can contribute to stronger institutions when supported by consistent implementation, independent oversight, and active citizen participation. The forthcoming report is expected to provide policymakers, oversight institutions, civil society organizations, and the public with a clearer understanding of government performance while helping guide future governance reforms.
