Posting date – 4th June 2026
Application Deadline – 12th June 2026
Background
The Institute of Public Finance (IPF) is an independent, non-partisan, and non-profit think tank established in 2013 to advance the principles and practice of public finance management. Based out of Nairobi, Kenya, IPF provides policy research and advocacy, technical assistance, and capacity strengthening for various stakeholders such as public sector leaders both at the county and national level, development partners, civil society organizations, and oversight agencies. Our mandate is to enhance the efficiency, responsiveness and sustainability of public financial systems across countries, counties, institutions and citizens. Over the years, IPF has evolved from a national entity into a globally recognized Center of Excellence in fiscal governance. IPF’s approach combines research with proactive policy engagement and inclusive stakeholder collaboration to support both state and non-state institutions in shaping public finance systems that are equitable, transparent and results driven both locally and internationally.
| The problem: Kenya’s inequality is not merely a statistical reality it is a daily lived experience for millions of people. The nation faces deep-rooted inequalities that impede both social and economic progress. According to the Kenya Poverty Report 2022, the hardcore poverty headcount rate stood at 7.1%, meaning over 3.6 million individuals live in extreme poverty, unable to afford even the most basic food consumption basket, even if they allocated all their resources solely toward food. Poverty remains relatively high in Kenya given its income level, which is linked to the lack of inclusive growth. The link between economic growth and poverty reduction has weakened in recent years. Kenya’s income and wealth distribution also reveals a deeply entrenched pattern of inequality, with a disproportionate share of economic resources concentrated in the hands of a small elite. The top 10% of Kenyans command nearly half (48.7%) of the country’s pre-tax national income, while the top 1% alone captures 15.3% more than the entire bottom 50% of the population, who collectively receive just 13.3% of the national income. This indicates that a small segment of the population earns significantly more than the majority, illustrating a stark divide in income access. However, the disparity becomes even more pronounced when examining wealth distribution. The top 10% of Kenyans own 61.9% of the country’s net personal wealth, with the top 1% controlling a staggering 28.4%. In contrast, the bottom 50% of the population owns just 4.2% of the wealth. This means the wealthiest 1% hold more than six times the wealth of half the population combined, underscoring the deeply rooted nature of wealth inequality. |
Purpose of this consultancy
This Consultancy is designed to accelerate advocacy communication efforts through a coordinated and effective digital campaign. This campaign will support advocates from civil society with tools which will enable them to address the persistent inequality issue and the need for progressive public spending and taxation. The advocacy communication tools developed under the campaign will help address inequality in Kenya and propose bold reforms in domestic revenue mobilization and more efficient public spending. The digital campaign key messages will promote equity, there is an urgent need to advance progressive taxation measures, particularly wealth taxes, that can help redistribute resources and ensure the wealthy contribute their fair share. The digital campaign must be evidence driven. Already, IPF has produced a research paper titled “Tax the Rich! Can Kenya Get Wealth Taxation Right?” which assesses the conditions necessary for effective wealth taxation. This provides strong evidence foundation for the digital campaign to run on.
At present, Kenya’s tax system relies heavily on indirect taxes such as value-added tax (VAT) and excise duties, which are regressive and place a disproportionate burden on low-income households. While these taxes remain critical for revenue generation, the over-reliance on them has deepened inequality by failing to adequately capture income and wealth from the richest individuals and corporations. Moreover, the government continues to grant tax incentives that primarily benefit large corporations with limited evidence of corresponding social or economic gains.
Submission
Qualified consultants are expected to deliver their technical and financial proposals to procurement@ipfglobal.or.ke by 12th June 2026. IPF will review the applications and contact only the shortlisted firm/consultant for an interview.
