Mudavadi Urges Public Institutions to Strengthen Trust and Accountability

BY ALLAN BRADLEY

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi has urged public institutions to strengthen cooperation, accountability, and integrity, saying trust remains one of the country’s most valuable assets in driving sustainable development.

Speaking in Nairobi during a forum that brought together leaders from 35 government institutions and the private sector to assess the quality of regulatory systems, Mudavadi said national progress depends on strong collaboration among public agencies and stakeholders.He challenged public officials to take the lead in implementing the government’s development agenda while fostering public confidence through transparency and responsible leadership.”We have to continuously look at that very intangible but valuable commodity called trust in our society. We have to look at it critically,” Mudavadi said.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary noted that growing public debate, particularly around the health sector, reflects increasing concerns about the credibility of information released by institutions.”When we see the discourse around the health sector today, people are asking us questions. The underlying issue is, can we trust what you’re telling us?” he said.Mudavadi attributed the erosion of public trust to the spread of misinformation and fake news, and urged both public and private institutions to safeguard information integrity.”Part of what is driving mistrust is the challenge of information integrity. It is the challenge of fake news, and we need to be able to have that conversation,” he said.

He further described trust as an economic asset, arguing that confidence in institutions is essential for attracting investment, strengthening governance, and supporting long-term economic growth.”Most importantly, trust is an economic asset,” Mudavadi said.The meeting, attended by representatives from various state agencies including the Capital Markets Authority, focused on improving regulatory standards, enhancing institutional collaboration, and promoting public confidence in Kenya’s governance systems.