Kenya’s National Treasury wants to hear from you before it drafts the Finance Bill 2027.
In a public notice signed by Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, the Treasury invited citizens, county governments, civil society groups, businesses and religious organizations to submit tax policy proposals for the FY 2027/28 Budget. The invitation covers two areas: amendments to domestic tax laws and administration, plus Kenya’s position on East African Community Customs measures.
Why the Rush
2027 is an election year, and that timeline is driving the schedule. Treasury said it must “fast track the National Fiscal Budget process to ensure smooth government operations,” since Parliament will break ahead of the General Election.
Work on the Finance Bill 2027 starts this month. Treasury plans to submit the completed Bill to the National Assembly by January 2027, well before campaign season disrupts the legislative calendar.
What Treasury Wants From Submissions
Proposals should target specific tax law changes, not general complaints or wish lists. Treasury outlined what a complete submission needs:
- The exact tax law or provision up for amendment
- A clear description of the problem it addresses
- Evidence or analysis backing the case for change
- Where relevant, the EAC Customs tariff line or policy instrument involved
On the customs side, Treasury flagged the Common External Tariff, the Duty Remission Scheme and stays of application as areas open for input.
The Fiscal Reality Behind the Ask
Treasury did not sugarcoat the constraints. The notice pointed to rising expenditure needs, limited room to take on more debt and difficulty raising fresh revenue. Given that, Treasury asked submitters to keep proposals grounded: fiscally responsible, realistic and tied to actual economic conditions rather than aspiration.
The notice also linked the exercise to the government’s Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda, framing tax policy as a tool for inclusive growth through a value chain approach.
How to Submit
Treasury is accepting both hard copies and digital submissions. Physical copies go to the Treasury office in Nairobi; electronic submissions should be emailed to submissions@treasury.go.ke.
The deadline is 31 August 2026, giving stakeholders roughly three weeks from the notice date to prepare their case.
For businesses, tax professionals and advocacy groups hoping to shape next year’s tax code, this is the formal window to make that case, before an election year compresses the time lawmakers have to debate it.
