Kenya to make all foreign deals public in new transparency push – Mudavadi

The government has revealed that bilateral deals signed by Kenya with other nations will now be made public as part of a new policy aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in foreign relations.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who also serves as the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary, said plans are underway to publish all agreements and treaties once they have been endorsed by Parliament.

Mudavadi noted that such deals will no longer be treated as “military secrets” and will be uploaded on the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs’ online portal to ensure easy access for Kenyans.

He explained that this measure is part of a broader reform agenda that will be implemented once a sessional paper on Kenya’s foreign policy, currently under preparation, is adopted.

“These agreements will not be treated like military secrets. Once they are concluded and Parliament has played its role, they will be made public,” Mudavadi said.

“Therefore, when we conclude any MoUs, they shall not be hidden. They shall be made available to the relevant committees of Parliament. As I said, we want to pursue a policy of open government.”

He added that the government is in the process of digitising all agreements to make them accessible through an online portal.

“We are in the process of going digital on this so that one can access a portal and know what treaties and MoUs have been signed by Kenya and different countries. If people want to engage in terms of business, then they can look at them and see which ones they can engage in,” he said.

The announcement follows concerns from legislators over the lack of transparency in labour agreements, especially those involving Kenyan workers abroad. Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka said the secrecy surrounding these contracts often results in mistreatment of Kenyan workers in foreign countries.

“The reason why our people keep suffering out there as they work in those countries is because most of those agreements are hidden. No one knows what is written in those agreements, and no one understands what the terms are,” Onyonka said.

Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot echoed the sentiments and sought to know how many bilateral labour agreements Kenya has signed in the last two years, how many are still being processed, and why some appear to be delayed.

“I know these agreements will open up opportunities for many young Kenyans who are looking forward to plying their trade elsewhere,” the Kericho senator said.

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale called on Mudavadi to table all signed agreements before the House. He emphasised the importance of public access to such documents for business and investment decisions.

Mudavadi confirmed that bilateral labour agreements have already been negotiated with Germany and Austria, while 19 others are at different stages of development. He assured senators that the government is committed to streamlining all bilateral agreements to align with international laws and protect migrant workers’ rights.

“We are making good progress, and we will try to accelerate where possible. Each country has its issues, and we try to navigate on a bilateral basis with individual countries,” he said.

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He further mentioned that efforts are ongoing to improve Kenya’s labour migration frameworks with countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, noting that the government is working to ensure compliance with international human rights standards.