Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi delivered the 2025 budget speech to a near-empty National Assembly today, as a significant number of MPs failed to attend, marking another chapter in Kenya’s growing trend of parliamentary disengagement with fiscal policy.
The absence of lawmakers emphasised a widening partisan rift and raised concerns about the legitimacy of the budget-making process.
This boycott follows a pattern of political defiance. In 2023, Azimio coalition MPs staged a dramatic walkout during the budget reading, the most theatrical boycott since Kenya’s independence.
The protest signalled a deepening divide between the opposition and the ruling Kenya Kwanza administration.
In 2024, a less sensational but equally telling low-turnout session highlighted growing apathy among lawmakers and the public toward fiscal policy discussions.
Analysts warn that such actions are transforming Parliament from a revered institution of national duty into a stage for populist symbolism.
“These boycotts reflect a shift in political optics,” said political commentator Jane Muriithi.
“Leaders are prioritising spectacle over statecraft to sway public sentiment, risking the erosion of trust in governance.”
The repeated absenteeism threatens to undermine the credibility of budget-making, a cornerstone of Kenya’s democratic process.
If unchecked, experts fear it could further alienate citizens already doubly sceptical of government accountability.
As performative politics takes centre stage, the substance of policy risks being overshadowed by partisan theatrics.
CS Mbadi, undeterred by the empty seats, proceeded with his address, outlining key fiscal priorities for 2025.
However, the absence of MPs cast a shadow over the event, raising questions about the future of constructive dialogue in Kenya’s legislature.
