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Trends of Public Debt in Kenya

  • Author Gĩthĩnji
  • Updated on:

Public debt refers to the money the government owes to lenders or creditors. It consists of internal or domestic debt (money borrowed within the country) and external debt (money borrowed from outside the country).

The lenders include individuals, businesses, financial institutions, and other governments. The government borrows money to compensate for the deficit in tax revenues.

…“the public debt” means all financial obligations attendant to loans raised or guaranteed and securities issued or guaranteed by the national government.
Article 214 (2) of the Kenyan Constitution

The tables below shows the trends of public debt in Kenya, including both domestic and external debt.

N.B. Figures are in billions of Kenya Shillings. For example, 11,139.69 in full is 11,139,690,000,000

*Provisonal figures

Year Month Domestic Debt External Debt Total
2023* January* 5,058.04* 6,189.97* 11,248.01*
2023 December 5,050.11 6,089.58 11,139.69
2023 November 4,990.75 5,896.50 10,887.25
2023 October 4,913.03 5,746.32 10,659.35
2023 September 5,667.80 4,917.47 10,585.27

Source: Central Bank of Kenya Weekly Bulletins

N.B. Figures are in millions of Kenya Shillings. For example, 10,526,429.95 in full is 10,526,429,950,000.

Year Month Domestic Debt External Debt Total
2023 August 4,912,338.928 5,614,091.024 10,526,429.95
2023 July 4,873,527.312 5,542,638.321 10,416,165.63
2023 June 4,832,112.06 5,446,560.935 10,278,672.99
2023 May 4,549,646.531 5,137,162.585 9,686,809.116
2023 April 4,542,350.542 5,092,502.583 9,634,853.125
2023 March 4,539,592.17 4,851,094.80 9,390,686.97
2023 February 4,551,561.27 4,709,715.16 9,261,276.43
2023 January 4,501,714.13 4,681,115.48 9,182,829.61
2022 December 4,472,838.52 4,673,144.13 9,145,982.65
2022 November 4,435,937.16 4,462,891.06 8,898,828.22
2022 October 4,386,094.34 4,359,569.49 8,745,663.83
2022 September 4,366,278.69 4,334,790.82 8,701,069.51
2022 August 4,335,273.44 4,327,930.65 8,663,204.08
2022 July 4,310,691.54 4,299,821.20 8,610,512.74
2022 June 4,288,332.96 4,290,775.57 8,579,108.53
2022 May 4,268,656.81 4,295,102.46 8,563,759.27
2022 April 4,226,843.40 4,243,534.44 8,470,377.84
2022 March 4,191,771.00 4,209,560.22 8,401,331.22
2022 February 4,181,420.48 4,157,763.28 8,339,183.76
2022 January 4,110,120.51 4,155,788.44 8,265,908.95
2021 December 4,032,368.18 4,174,371.53 8,206,739.71
2021 November 4,008,077.30 4,109,282.85 8,117,360.15
2021 October 3,959,523.30 4,083,124.54 8,042,647.84
2021 September 3,937,777.45 4,062,504.78 8,000,282.23
2021 August 3,864,875.78 4,054,862.85 7,919,738.63
2021 July 3,792,146.89 4,020,629.30 7,812,776.19
2021 June 3,697,093.18 4,015,299.38 7,712,392.57
2021 May 3,686,891.72 3,799,018.81 7,485,910.53
2021 April 3,632,914.80 3,778,131.44 7,411,046.24
2021 March 3,569,840.57 3,769,866.74 7,339,707.31
2021 February 3,531,182.93 3,814,288.77 7,345,471.70
2021 January 3,532,561.52 3,819,699.66 7,352,261.18
2020 December 3,488,541.18 3,793,285.24 7,281,826.42
2020 November 3,482,653.56 3,771,808.47 7,254,462.03
2020 October 3,457,644.63 3,705,644.24 7,163,288.87
2020 September 3,457,106.50 3,663,491.22 7,120,597.72
2020 August 3,402,500.73 3,666,321.29 7,068,822.02
2020 July 3,273,551.44 3,638,506.49 6,912,057.93
2020 June 3,178,421.28 3,515,810.78 6,694,232.06
2020 May 3,153,143.94 3,496,428.84 6,649,572.77
2020 April 3,119,415.80 3,317,330.98 6,436,746.77
2020 March 3,070,189.38 3,212,634.23 6,282,823.61
2020 February 3,040,964.55 3,117,038.57 6,158,003.12
2020 January 3,003,700.30 3,112,897.95 6,116,598.25
2019 December 2,942,103.54 3,106,822.96 6,048,926.50
2019 November 2,917,362.29 3,114,959.69 6,032,321.98
2019 October 2,897,141.36 3,127,601.26 6,024,742.62
2019 September 2,851,639.21 3,111,767.28 5,963,406.49
2019 August 2,875,502.65 3,133,543.34 6,009,045.99
2019 July 2,843,666.89 3,160,057.46 6,003,724.35
2019 June 2,785,483.13 3,023,139.47 5,808,622.60
2019 May 2,772,613.71 2,834,844.04 5,607,457.75
2019 April 2,740,905.64 2,842,481.02 5,583,386.66
2019 March 2,702,933.27 2,721,597.46 5,424,530.74
2019 February 2,690,972.03 2,707,287.17 5,398,259.20
2019 January 2,604,189.40 2,729,478.57 5,333,667.97
2018 December 2,548,768.78 2,723,734.27 5,272,503.04
2018 November 2,563,418.63 2,709,008.39 5,272,427.03
2018 October 2,535,751.89 2,654,689.44 5,190,441.33
2018 September 2,540,833.74 2,605,334.58 5,146,168.32
2018 August 2,493,706.78 2,611,403.10 5,105,109.88
2018 July 2,513,046.50 2,601,071.15 5,114,117.65
2018 June 2,478,835.09 2,560,199.43 5,039,034.52
2018 May 2,447,575.21 2,573,126.24 5,020,701.44
2018 April 2,415,234.64 2,562,178.53 4,977,413.17
2018 March 2,371,650.53 2,512,430.94 4,884,081.46
2018 February 2,338,213.71 2,563,074.05 4,901,287.76
2018 January 2,247,295.02 2,377,522.47 4,624,817.49
2017 December 2,220,345.35 2,349,284.44 4,569,629.79
2017 November 2,228,429.02 2,357,226.48 4,585,655.50
2017 October 2,188,509.46 2,353,124.93 4,541,634.39
2017 September 2,172,835.15 2,310,198.99 4,483,034.13
2017 August 2,135,933.94 2,309,775.39 4,445,709.33
2017 July 2,123,788.59 2,305,538.33 4,429,326.92
2017 June 2,111,710.44 2,294,735.88 4,406,446.32
2017 May 2,045,471.63 2,187,224.33 4,232,695.96
2017 April 1,979,865.65 2,167,254.83 4,147,120.48
2017 March 1,945,253.27 2,159,068.94 4,104,322.21
2017 February 1,901,820.24 1,993,173.80 3,894,994.04
2017 January 1,894,094.99 1,992,795.15 3,886,890.14
2016 December 1,930,855.01 1,896,443.05 3,827,298.06
2016 November 1,918,656.99 1,834,914.33 3,753,571.32
2016 October 1,872,102.82 1,844,474.96 3,716,577.78
2016 September 1,854,554.56 1,849,019.87 3,703,574.43
2016 August 1,815,930.73 1,803,260.48 3,619,191.22
2016 July 1,808,641.64 1,797,696.38 3,606,338.02
2016 June 1,815,470.50 1,803,256.30 3,618,726.80
2016 May 1,750,326.78 1,680,631.83 3,430,958.61
2016 April 1,689,039.25 1,685,269.16 3,374,308.41
2016 March 1,646,527.48 1,665,578.04 3,312,105.52
2016 February 1,605,227.98 1,646,555.21 3,251,783.19
2016 January 1,522,769.88 1,654,744.49 3,177,514.38
2015 December 1,540,579.13 1,615,184.20 3,155,763.33
2015 November 1,516,373.47 1,562,515.56 3,078,889.04
2015 October 1,454,245.39 1,490,713.76 2,944,959.15
2015 September 1,388,262.31 1,550,232.74 2,938,495.05
2015 August 1,403,100.20 1,530,678.61 2,933,778.82
2015 July 1,418,568.23 1,473,143.70 2,891,711.93
2015 June 1,420,444.38 1,408,613.59 2,829,057.97
2015 May 1,407,811.19 1,381,156.98 2,788,968.18
2015 April 1,415,431.51 1,326,835.19 2,742,266.71
2015 March 1,397,125.72 1,278,107.87 2,675,233.59
2015 February 1,353,302.65 1,296,748.46 2,650,051.11
2015 January 1,334,642.80 1,163,350.79 2,497,993.59
2014 December 1,307,748.71 1,170,696.28 2,478,444.99
2014 November 1,303,363.31 1,088,951.54 2,392,314.85
2014 October 1,254,913.42 1,088,832.15 2,343,745.57
2014 September 1,260,874.56 1,087,827.67 2,348,702.23
2014 August 1,281,093.66 1,090,984.32 2,372,077.98
2014 July 1,296,444.73 1,089,655.77 2,386,100.50
2014 June 1,284,327.25 1,085,928.57 2,370,255.82
2014 May 1,232,041.55 957,893.23 2,189,934.78
2014 April 1,216,759.23 950,981.15 2,167,740.39
2014 March 1,231,183.10 940,402.99 2,171,586.09
2014 February 1,229,416.28 937,328.35 2,166,744.63
2014 January 1,200,901.86 920,500.71 2,121,402.56
2013 December 1,189,182.59 922,369.15 2,111,551.74
2013 November 1,170,053.22 912,234.31 2,082,287.54
2013 October 1,174,782.27 887,991.23 2,062,773.50
2013 September 1,168,115.36 889,313.51 2,057,428.87
2013 August 1,116,676.22 887,560.00 2,004,236.22
2013 July 1,078,604.00 875,230.00 1,953,834.00
2013 June 1,050,628.57 843,562.27 1,894,190.84
2013 May 1,074,797.69 832,238.14 1,907,035.82
2013 April 1,065,609.39 816,796.56 1,882,405.95
2013 March 981,910.93 812,700.17 1,794,611.10
2013 February 943,750.18 826,267.68 1,770,017.86
2013 January 978,335.91 833,609.46 1,811,945.37
2012 December 971,265.44 821,972.82 1,793,238.26
2012 November 958,438.68 824,583.12 1,783,021.80
2012 October 929,321.62 812,307.84 1,741,629.46
2012 September 922,196.19 802,457.33 1,724,653.52
2012 August 901,934.27 771,760.00 1,673,694.27
2012 July 872,160.52 767,390.00 1,639,550.52
2012 June 858,829.55 774,550.00 1,633,379.55
2012 May 889,056.81 721,040.00 1,610,096.81
2012 April 896,036.72 700,900.00 1,596,936.72
2012 March 887,871.40 676,330.00 1,564,201.40
2012 February 877,292.72 663,050.00 1,540,342.72
2012 January 809,278.11 686,718.48 1,495,996.59
2011 December 799,880.06 685,607.92 1,485,487.98
2011 November 803,894.34 728,645.25 1,532,539.59
2011 October 794,565.56 810,011.60 1,604,577.16
2011 September 764,274.59 799,834.03 1,564,108.62
2011 August 776,852.60 768,510.85 1,545,363.45
2011 July 781,713.03 744,486.60 1,526,199.63
2011 June 764,222.80 722,888.31 1,487,111.11
2011 May 746,574.73 675,887.12 1,422,461.85
2011 April 735,460.06 652,675.73 1,388,135.79
2011 March 754,048.10 642,847.92 1,396,896.02
2011 February 746,670.28 630,400.03 1,377,070.31
2011 January 730,197.77 615,604.98 1,345,802.75
2010 December 720,207.97 599,930.46 1,320,138.43
2010 November 711,448.98 599,251.46 1,310,700.44
2010 October 696,132.65 598,080.46 1,294,213.11
2010 September 704,702.77 594,223.00 1,298,925.77
2010 August 698,047.35 566,166.88 1,264,214.23
2010 July 667,803.42 562,941.95 1,230,745.37
2010 June 660,267.68 565,452.00 1,225,719.68
2010 May 650,261.96 541,976.71 1,192,238.67
2010 April 653,614.42 537,424.84 1,191,039.26
2010 March 639,116.32 538,157.99 1,177,274.31
2010 February 607,512.61 525,369.18 1,132,881.79
2010 January 580,721.47 525,552.75 1,106,274.22
2009 December 588,970.31 588,970.31 1,177,940.63
2009 November 562,926.79 521,232.48 1,084,159.26
2009 October 567,125.13 523,899.66 1,091,024.79
2009 September 550,613.80 524,982.60 1,075,596.40
2009 August 547,182.36 530,075.39 1,077,257.75
2009 July 530,400.97 532,144.51 1,062,545.48
2009 June 518,346.15 535,143.70 1,053,489.84
2009 May 489,234.39 517,929.10 1,007,163.49
2009 April 497,450.16 511,981.59 1,009,431.75
2009 March 474,749.81 513,623.00 988,372.81
2009 February 478,896.43 514,635.34 993,531.77
2009 January 454,266.44 512,475.65 966,742.10
2008 December 456,227.91 516,671.33 972,899.25
2008 November 451,392.10 450,248.35 901,640.45
2008 October 454,685.97 434,487.59 889,173.56
2008 September 449,333.84 432,954.02 882,287.86
2008 August 433,489.36 433,670.73 867,160.09
2008 July 428,148.13 432,808.95 860,957.07
2008 June 430,611.73 439,967.00 870,578.73
2008 May 442,684.75 429,644.66 872,329.41
2008 April 437,870.94 425,992.78 863,863.72
2008 March 444,736.37 425,086.89 869,823.26
2008 February 434,621.39 425,976.18 860,597.57
2008 January 432,183.90 424,205.02 856,388.92
2007 December 438,059.11 406,923.00 844,982.11
2007 November 426,062.44 424,243.21 850,305.66
2007 October 418,488.14 419,738.84 838,226.99
2007 September 426,821.36 408,680.79 835,502.14
2007 August 415,915.04 409,066.12 824,981.16
2007 July 410,229.01 410,512.75 820,741.77
2007 June 404,690.11 396,564.00 801,254.11
2007 May 390,795.61 419,743.45 810,539.06
2007 April 390,491.89 420,265.23 810,757.12
2007 March 386,287.74 409,055.74 795,343.48
2007 February 385,824.93 416,510.41 802,335.34
2007 January 378,127.61 417,467.73 795,595.34
2006 December 385,121.22 407,742.55 792,863.77
2006 November 381,034.85 424,933.07 805,967.92
2006 October 375,524.02 424,414.09 799,938.11
2006 September 371,591.47 422,647.93 794,239.41
2006 August 367,963.31 431,095.63 799,058.94
2006 July 364,835.71 430,667.84 795,503.56
2006 June 357,838.95 431,236.83 789,075.78
2006 May 349,489.93 406,493.69 755,983.63
2006 April 348,220.36 406,531.77 754,752.13
2006 March 346,064.04 407,003.71 753,067.75
2006 February 338,613.23 407,132.44 745,745.67
2006 January 333,950.84 407,544.63 741,495.47
2005 December 335,001.89 408,601.92 743,603.81
2005 November 333,501.48 417,897.89 751,399.38
2005 October 332,725.65 418,417.49 751,143.14
2005 September 328,799.98 418,860.33 747,660.31
2005 August 325,380.53 434,850.69 760,231.23
2005 July 324,027.42 435,399.90 759,427.32
2005 June 315,572.50 433,975.65 749,548.15
2005 May 304,975.65 423,476.45 728,452.10
2005 April 307,160.62 424,345.69 731,506.31
2005 March 296,330.22 424,857.08 721,187.30
2005 February 292,227.33 445,544.58 737,771.91
2005 January 291,222.66 446,226.13 737,448.80
2004 December 295,374.44 439,992.95 735,367.39
2004 November 302,543.91 454,664.42 757,208.33
2004 October 301,541.30 454,539.95 756,081.25
2004 September 299,745.58 454,438.56 754,184.14
2004 August 301,678.34 444,460.66 746,138.99
2004 July 303,462.12 444,611.00 748,073.12
2004 June 306,234.66 443,157.43 749,392.09
2004 May 299,347.29 408,547.54 707,894.83
2004 April 301,177.37 409,950.33 711,127.70
2004 March 302,023.58 412,036.08 714,059.66
2004 February 300,907.92 407,417.62 708,325.54
2004 January 299,701.26 409,158.26 708,859.52
2003 December 301,190.58 410,149.00 711,339.58
2003 November 303,548.41 406,592.25 710,140.65
2003 October 301,918.96 409,359.85 711,278.82
2003 September 303,252.05 411,067.00 714,319.05
2003 August 295,494.51 397,991.28 693,485.79
2003 July 292,277.47 398,532.85 690,810.32
2003 June 289,376.97 407,053.00 696,429.97
2003 May 280,928.98 361,731.20 642,660.18
2003 April 276,083.44 363,605.43 639,688.88
2003 March 270,716.28 364,904.26 635,620.54
2003 February 264,193.21 367,469.40 631,662.61
2003 January 263,986.33 369,051.09 633,037.42
2002 December 259,828.23 369,729.83 629,558.06
2002 November 255,192.66 371,334.71 626,527.37
2002 October 251,196.67 373,140.09 624,336.76
2002 September 250,808.60 375,034.19 625,842.79
2002 August 247,168.98 376,868.51 624,037.49
2002 July 242,102.05 376,712.94 618,814.99
2002 June 235,991.00 377,748.00 613,739.00
2002 May 231,773.00 378,594.34 610,367.34
2002 April 233,149.00 378,475.98 611,624.98
2002 March 229,167.00 380,169.06 609,336.06
2002 February 227,581.00 381,497.47 609,078.47
2002 January 222,711.00 382,302.84 605,013.84
2001 December 221,984.00 384,302.58 606,286.58
2001 November 217,524.00 386,971.92 604,495.92
2001 October 225,952.00 389,276.05 615,228.05
2001 September 219,165.00 392,052.74 611,217.74
2001 August 214,767.00 392,335.83 607,102.83
2001 July 205,012.00 393,491.36 598,503.36
2001 June 211,812.60 393,978.00 605,790.60
2001 May 202,880.88 408,100.64 610,981.52
2001 April 210,581.44 402,308.31 612,889.75
2001 March 200,622.58 403,373.54 603,996.12
2001 February 199,537.27 402,555.40 602,092.67
2001 January 193,332.95 403,645.68 596,978.63
2000 December 192,665.30 405,355.31 598,020.61
2000 November 195,906.00 400,714.45 596,620.45
2000 October 195,564.00 400,203.03 595,767.03
2000 September 195,520.00 399,798.72 595,318.72
2000 August 196,584.00 395,710.06 592,294.06
2000 July 202,362.00 394,667.37 597,029.37
2000 June 206,127.00 395,694.00 601,821.00
2000 March 201,463.22 396,800.00 598,263.22
1999 December 190,300.00 311,953.00 502,253.00
1999 September 183,417.00 320,137.00 503,554.00

Source: Central Bank of Kenya

Section:Budget
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