Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has announced major reforms in pension administration, including the discontinuation of manual pension claim submissions unless expressly authorised by the National Treasury.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly during the 2026/27 budget presentation on June 11, Mbadi said the changes are aimed at improving efficiency and eliminating delays in the processing of retirement benefits for public servants.

“We have discontinued the manual submission of pension claims unless expressly authorized by the National Treasury,” he said.

Under the new framework, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) will be required to initiate pension claims well in advance of retirement to ensure timely processing.

“Ministries, departments and agencies are now required to initiate pension claims at least 9 months before a public officer’s retirement date,” Mbadi stated.

He explained that the early initiation process is intended to reduce cases of incomplete or delayed submissions that often affect retirees at the point of exit from public service.

“This will facilitate resolutions of late or incomplete submission of the pension claims ahead of the retirement day for our employees,” he added.

Mbadi further announced plans to strengthen capacity in pension management through training and digitization, in collaboration with the Kenya School of Government.

“The National Treasury in collaboration with the Kenya School of Government will institutionalize electronic pension management information system training as part of a continuous capacity building program,” he said.

He noted that the initiative will enhance competency and efficiency in pension administration across the public sector.

The reforms mark a shift toward a fully digitized pension management system aimed at improving service delivery and ensuring timely access to retirement benefits for public officers.