Mudavadi Pushes for Global Reforms to Restore Public Trust

By Njeri Irungu

Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called for greater accountability, inclusive governance and reforms to international institutions, saying public confidence can only be restored when leaders and institutions demonstrate fairness, integrity and tangible results.

PHOTO: Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary addressing the Summit 

Speaking on Thursday, October 22, during the Global Trust Summit in Nairobi, Mudavadi warned that declining trust in public institutions threatened governance, economic prosperity and the ability of societies to work towards common goals.

“When a society loses the trust of its people, it risks losing the very foundation upon which its institutions, prosperity and common future depend,” he said.

Mudavadi cautioned that public confidence in political leaders should not come at the expense of accountability, citing an Afrobarometer working paper based on surveys conducted across 37 African countries. The research linked higher trust in presidents and ruling parties to weaker public support for parliamentary oversight, media scrutiny and citizens’ right to hold governments accountable.

He said institutions should earn public confidence through their actions rather than demand unquestioning loyalty, insisting that transparency, answerability and openness to scrutiny were essential to credible leadership.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary also raised concerns about declining public confidence in science, citing the Wellcome Global Monitor 2026, which showed that the share of people who believed most citizens in their countries benefited from science fell from 42 per cent in 2018 to 37 per cent in 2025. He argued that scientific progress must be accompanied by accessible healthcare, fairness and openness about uncertainty.

Mudavadi further described trust as an important economic resource, saying it makes business and cooperation easier by strengthening relationships and confidence between parties. He warned that focusing exclusively on profits and results without regard for ethical conduct could weaken the relationships on which sustainable prosperity depends.

Turning to international governance, Mudavadi said global institutions needed to become more representative and responsive to the needs of countries, particularly as the world confronts cross-border challenges such as climate change, public health emergencies, insecurity, trade disputes and technological change.

He singled out Africa’s lack of a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council as a major concern, arguing that the continent should have a direct role in decisions affecting its peace and security. He said permanent African representation, in line with the African Union’s Common African Position, would strengthen the legitimacy of the United Nations among African citizens.

Mudavadi urged participants to ensure the summit produces practical commitments rather than another set of declarations. He proposed a clear action agenda, an implementation framework, a coalition of responsible stakeholders and a credible mechanism for monitoring progress.

“It is my wish that Nairobi be remembered not simply as the place where the world discussed trust, but as the place where we strengthened our resolve to become more trustworthy,” he said.

The regional implications of trust were highlighted by Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, James Millya, who said Kenya and Tanzania had resolved 54 of the 68 non-tariff barriers identified between the two countries, leaving 14 outstanding. He noted that traders continued to face delays, repeated inspections and unexpected charges despite the two countries sharing a customs union and common market.

Millya said agreements signed in May 2026 introduced common standards to reduce repeat inspections of certified goods at Namanga and Holili, a 30-day dispute-resolution window and quarterly implementation reports. Tanzania had also removed its Industrial Development Levy on several Kenyan goods. However, bilateral trade fell from approximately US$950 million in 2024 to US$860 million in 2025, underscoring the need to address persistent trade obstacles.

He pledged that Tanzania would appoint a focal point to follow up complaints within the agreed 30-day period and proposed regular consultations with traders, truckers, women and young people conducting business across the border. Millya said the success of the measures would depend on faster clearance, resolved complaints and visible improvements for traders, while Korir emphasised that trust was essential to effective institutions, social cohesion and international cooperation. He called for transparency, inclusive decision-making and accountability, noting that the Global Trust Summit, running from October 21 to 23, should help turn commitments into results that citizens can experience.enya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called for greater accountability, inclusive governance and reforms to international institutions, saying public confidence can only be restored when leaders and institutions demonstrate fairness, integrity and tangible results.

Speaking on Thursday, October 22, during the Global Trust Summit in Nairobi, Mudavadi warned that declining trust in public institutions threatened governance, economic prosperity and the ability of societies to work towards common goals.

“When a society loses the trust of its people, it risks losing the very foundation upon which its institutions, prosperity and common future depend,” he said.

Mudavadi cautioned that public confidence in political leaders should not come at the expense of accountability, citing an Afrobarometer working paper based on surveys conducted across 37 African countries. The research linked higher trust in presidents and ruling parties to weaker public support for parliamentary oversight, media scrutiny and citizens’ right to hold governments accountable.

He said institutions should earn public confidence through their actions rather than demand unquestioning loyalty, insisting that transparency, answerability and openness to scrutiny were essential to credible leadership.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary also raised concerns about declining public confidence in science, citing the Wellcome Global Monitor 2026, which showed that the share of people who believed most citizens in their countries benefited from science fell from 42 per cent in 2018 to 37 per cent in 2025. He argued that scientific progress must be accompanied by accessible healthcare, fairness and openness about uncertainty.

Mudavadi further described trust as an important economic resource, saying it makes business and cooperation easier by strengthening relationships and confidence between parties. He warned that focusing exclusively on profits and results without regard for ethical conduct could weaken the relationships on which sustainable prosperity depends.

Turning to international governance, Mudavadi said global institutions needed to become more representative and responsive to the needs of countries, particularly as the world confronts cross-border challenges such as climate change, public health emergencies, insecurity, trade disputes and technological change.

He singled out Africa’s lack of a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council as a major concern, arguing that the continent should have a direct role in decisions affecting its peace and security. He said permanent African representation, in line with the African Union’s Common African Position, would strengthen the legitimacy of the United Nations among African citizens.

Mudavadi urged participants to ensure the summit produces practical commitments rather than another set of declarations. He proposed a clear action agenda, an implementation framework, a coalition of responsible stakeholders and a credible mechanism for monitoring progress.

“It is my wish that Nairobi be remembered not simply as the place where the world discussed trust, but as the place where we strengthened our resolve to become more trustworthy,” he said.

The regional implications of trust were highlighted by Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, James Millya, who said Kenya and Tanzania had resolved 54 of the 68 non-tariff barriers identified between the two countries, leaving 14 outstanding. He noted that traders continued to face delays, repeated inspections and unexpected charges despite the two countries sharing a customs union and common market.

Millya said agreements signed in May 2026 introduced common standards to reduce repeat inspections of certified goods at Namanga and Holili, a 30-day dispute-resolution window and quarterly implementation reports. Tanzania had also removed its Industrial Development Levy on several Kenyan goods. However, bilateral trade fell from approximately US$950 million in 2024 to US$860 million in 2025, underscoring the need to address persistent trade obstacles.

He pledged that Tanzania would appoint a focal point to follow up complaints within the agreed 30-day period and proposed regular consultations with traders, truckers, women and young people conducting business across the border. Millya said the success of the measures would depend on faster clearance, resolved complaints and visible improvements for traders, while Korir emphasised that trust was essential to effective institutions, social cohesion and international cooperation. He called for transparency, inclusive decision-making and accountability, noting that the Global Trust Summit, running from October 21 to 23, should help turn commitments into results that citizens can experience.