Nominated Senator Maureen Tabitha Mutinda has been elected as a member of the board of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the term 2025-2027.
In a statement by the Senate on Wednesday, October 8, the lawmaker was announced as the East African region's representative on the board of governance, which is tasked with setting the strategic agenda and providing guidance for the activities of the Parliamentary Network.
Senator Mutinda will represent the East Africa region within the board, a role that positions her to influence policy discussions between parliamentarians and international financial institutions during a critical period for the region's economic development.
This comes as an IMF team continues discussions in Nairobi on a possible new Fund-supported program for Kenya. The IMF mission, which began on September 25, is set to conclude on October 9.
"At the request of the Kenyan authorities, an IMF staff team will begin initial discussions in the coming days on a possible Fund-supported program,” IMF Mission Chief for Kenya Haimanot Teferra stated before the visit.
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Ms. Teferra emphasized the institution's commitment to Kenya's economic stability.
"The IMF remains committed to supporting Kenya in its efforts to maintain macroeconomic stability, safeguard debt sustainability, strengthen governance, and promote inclusive and sustainable growth for the benefit of the Kenyan people," she said. "We look forward to constructive engagement with the authorities and other stakeholders during our visit to Nairobi."
The discussions come after Kenya's previous IMF-supported program expires in April. Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi recently confirmed that negotiations are progressing positively.
"We need the IMF. Yes, our economic conditions have improved but we must not lose sight that we need more concessional loans, which come from multilaterals like the IMF and the World Bank," Mbadi stated.
The government has been exploring securitization of revenue to fund major infrastructure projects, including the railway extension from Naivasha to the Ugandan border and upgrading Nairobi's main airport.
