Kenya has significantly reduced its debt to the United States, cutting it by half in the year ending December 2025 in a rapid repayment effort driven by America's shift away from bilateral lending.

• Kenya repaid over Sh16 billion ($124.65 million) of its bilateral debt to the US, reducing the total owed to Sh15.98 billion ($123.82 million).
• This move follows the US government's decision to end bilateral lending and focus on direct project financing through its state-owned lenders and agencies like the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).
• The strategy change by Washington prompted Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi to announce that Kenya would clear these loans within two to three years.

Uganda's Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa, has urged petroleum marketing companies not to increase pump prices due to the Middle East crisis, emphasizing there is no justification for such hikes.

• Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) assures steady supplies, stating that even if the Middle East route becomes inaccessible, alternative sourcing methods are in place.
• The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa, directly appealed to the companies.
• Uganda imports approximately 2.5 billion liters of petroleum products annually, valued at about 2 billion U.S. dollars.

Kenyan ministries are set to see an 11.3 percent increase in their budgets, totaling an additional Sh287.4 billion for the 2025/26 financial year due to mounting spending pressures.

• The overall national budget will rise by Sh316.7 billion to Sh4.618 trillion.
• The National Treasury, led by Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, is seeking parliamentary approval for these supplementary estimates.
• The increase in recurrent spending, covering salaries and operational costs, accounts for the largest portion of the hike at Sh201.3 billion.