Welcome to Nairobi Eastern Central Regional Budget Hub
The NEC Regional Budget Hub is a collaborative platform that operates in the Nairobi-Eastern-Central (NEC) regions of Kenya
About NEC Regional Budget hub
About
In 2022, Bajeti Hub established the Nairobi, Eastern, and Central region budget hub(NEC Hub) which consists of 14 counties namely: Murang’a, Nyeri, Laikipia, Nairobi, Machakos, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Kajiado, Kitui, and Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, Makueni and Embu with Justice, Advocacy and Empowerment Center (JAEC) currently being the financial host and coordinating organization for the Hub activities. The coordination and hosting role played by JAEC is an indicator of a central and organized approach that facilitates meaningful engagement with national and county governments. The presence of 1 Coordinator and 8 budget facilitators working as a team is a valuable resource for the HUB. Their collaboration has contributed significantly to building the individual capacities as well as those of the HUB. In return, they empower the community to engage constructively with county governments because effective engagement with National and County governments is crucial for ensuring transparency, accountability, and prudent use of resources to enhance service delivery and improvement of livelihoods.
NEC Hub has been focusing on social protection, health, and education sectors which were informed by identified gaps during budget advocacy for the past 2 years. This is being achieved through a collaborative approach where each budget facilitator is working with at least 15 budget champions already trained in the 14 counties.
NEC Hub has also incubated two Hubs; The Media Hub and Disability Mainstreaming Hub. The Disability Mainstreaming hub consists of Persons with Disabilities advocates championing specific issues related to disabilities in each of the 14 counties. The Media Hub consists of media practitioners drawn from the 14conties interested in reporting public budget stories.
Mission
To unite advocates for public finance management across 14 Kenyan counties, championing transparency and accountability in budgeting to ensure inclusivity and equity in funding for social protection, health, and education, while empowering Persons with Disabilities to drive inclusive budgeting and advocate for essential legislative amendments.
Vision
To be a catalyst for sustainable development and empowerment in the region, where equitable resource allocation and inclusive participation in budgeting processes enhance the well-being of all communities, including persons with disabilities.
Latest News
28th October, 2025
The Auditor General Reports
This crucial session empowered citizens, advocates, and policymakers by demystifying the intricate world of Audit Reports, specifically those by the Auditor General. Understanding these documents was a crucial step toward effective oversight, budget advocacy, and holding county governments accountable for the delivery of services and the prudent use of public resources.
Mary Mureithi, Assistant Programs Associate at Pathways Policy Institute and Budget Facilitator for Laikipia County and who was the facilitator of the day, delivered a masterclass breakdown on navigating these critical accountability tools.
18th October, 2025
UNLOCKING COUNTY FINANCES
In this essential training, we dive deep into the world of Quarterly Budget Implementation Reports (QBIRs), a vital tool for tracking how counties actually use public funds and holding them accountable for results on the ground.
Christopher Kuria, Nyandarua County Budget Facilitator and Executive Director, Action for Community Development Centre took the participants through an insightful breakdown of this critical public finance document.
- Learn precisely how QBIRs serve as the primary tool to monitor the status and progress of development projects on the ground.
- Identify common bottlenecks and challenges faced during budget execution and how to use the report to demand corrective action.
- Understand how to calculate and interpret the county’s true financial health, including analyzing actual revenue receipts versus targets.
- Equip yourself with the knowledge to read, analyze and challenge official financial data, transforming yourself from an observer into an active fiscal watchdog.
18th October, 2025
Understanding the Finance Bill
This is a crucial session that empowers citizens, advocates and policymakers by demystifying the intricate world of key budget documents. Understanding these documents is the first step towards effective budget advocacy and holding county governments accountable for service delivery.
Anita Nkirote, the facilitator and co-founder of the Chogoria Education Forum and Tharaka Nithi County Budget Facilitator, breaks down the masterclass as follows.
- What is Own Source Revenue (OSR) and its pivotal role in enabling county functions
- The Principles of a good tax system—what makes a tax fair, efficient and equitable
- Detailed exploration of Own Source Revenue streams available to counties (fees, charges, rates, licenses, tickets, etc)
- The direct Impact of OSR mobilization on service delivery and infrastructure development
- Practical steps on How to unpack County Finance Bills/Acts to effectively participate in the budget process and ensure transparency. This is the 6th session in our 8-part series. Don’t miss out on becoming a fully-fledged Budget Champion
10th October, 2025
UNDERSTANDING THE BUDGET ESTIMATES PROGRAMME BASED BUDGET PBB
This is Session 5 of the flagship NEC Hub’s Budget Champions Graduation Program! This is a crucial step in our 8-part series designed to empower you to become an advocate for fiscal transparency and effective county service delivery. In the session we demystify the most important document in the county budget cycle: The Budget Estimates, specifically the Program Based Budget (PBB)
29th September, 2025
This is Virtual Session 4 of the Nairobi Eastern and Central Regional Budget Hub (NECHUB) Budget Champions Training Program 2025. In this crucial session, we demystify the County Fiscal Strategy Paper (CFSP)—the core document that dictates the size and priorities of your county’s annual budget. Our expert Christopher Kuria, Executive Director of the Action for Community Development Center and Nyandarua County Budget Facilitator, breaks down this essential piece of Kenya’s public finance system.
22nd September, 2025
County Budget Review & Outlook Paper (CBROP) Unpacked | NECHUB Webinar with Mary Mureithi (Tharaka Nithi County Budget Facilitator )
This is the third impactful session of Nairobi, Eastern and Central Regional Budget Hub (NECHUB)’s Budget Champion Graduation Program 2025! In this essential webinar, Mary Mureithi, Laikipia County’s Budget Facilitator and Assistant Programs Associate at Pathways Policy Institute, meticulously unbundles and unpacks the County Budget Review & Outlook Paper (CBROP). Mary guides participants through critical areas including:-
UNDERSTANDING THE ANNUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (ADP)
Nairobi Eastern and Central Regional Budget Hub (NECHUB) presents an insightful breakdown of the Annual Development Plan (ADP) — a critical document in the county budget process. The ADP is a yearly planning tool that identifies priority projects and programs derived from the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP). It acts as a blueprint for what your county government will prioritize and fund in the upcoming financial year. Eugene Sosthene Simiyu, Budget Facilitator – Kajiado County, guides us through the purpose, structure and importance of the ADP.
11th September, 2025
A Vow for Peace and Progress
The County Government of Kajiado had a remarkable youth engagement on peace during the public participation meeting for Kajiado’s Annual Development Plan 2026/27.
It was incredible to see so many young people step up and voice their aspirations for a better, more peaceful future.
1st September, 2025
Youth Devolution Festival 2025
Nairobi Eastern Central Regional Budget Hub – NEC Hub is thrilled to announce that our very own Dr.Violet Mbiti Machakos County Budget Facilitator and Director Violet Mbiti Foundation was a featured panelist at The Youth Devolution Festival 2025.
During the event, Dr. Mbiti shared her expertise on Gender and Public Finance Management (PFM), emphasizing their critical role in empowering young people and driving sustainable development at the County level.
We are honored to see her contribute to such an important national conversation. Her insights continue to inspire and shape pathways toward a more inclusive and brighter future for all.
1st September, 2025
Workshop on County Public Participation Guidelines
Last week, the Nairobi Eastern Central Regional Budget Hub (NEC Hub) took part in a key workshop in Embu County.
Our NEC Hub Coordinator, Nelson Maina (Nelson WA Chapter Six), together with Faith Kiema (Kitui County Budget Facilitator), Sospeter Gitonga (Embu County Budget Facilitator), and Luciah Mbocha, actively engaged in discussions on the localization of the Reviewed County Public Participation Guidelines.
20th August, 2025
we’re incredibly pround to highlight the crucial work being done on the ground in Embu County.
Nairobi Eastern Central Regional Budget Hub-NEC HUB Coordinator, Nelson maina, recently visited Partners In Arts and Contemporary Development (PCOD).
He witnessed firsthand how they are empowering local communities to become Budget Champions.
This initiative is all about ensuring that the Embu County budget directly addresses the Sustainalbe Development Goals(SDGs).
PCOD’s training is a game-changer, helping citizens understand how the County’s spending plans can create a tangible impact on key areas.
8th August, 2025
The bi-annual reflection and learning meeting is an opportunity for us to pause, reflect and learn. For several years now, Bajeti Hub has convened this learning forum that has also included our key partners, the regional budget hubs. This learning space has been dynamic in response to the context and the implementation periods and has continually helped to inform and shape interventions and our programming.
This year’s mid-point reflection will be an opportunity for us to reflect on the context we are operating in and its implications for our work, the sustainability of our work and how we are monitoring and documenting the work. In addition, we are also working on developing an approach to our learning, and this will start by developing an inquiry question. This is something that we’ll develop progressively.
4th August, 2025
Over 70 participants joined the Powerful Session on the Rights-Based Model of Disability Inclusion
We were honored to have Denis Ngure, Disability Inclusion Specialist, facilitate an insightful Webinar session on the Rights-Based Model of Disability Inclusion, drawing in over 70 participants from across Kenya. What started as a conceptual discussion turned into a practical roadmap for making inclusion non-negotiable in policy and budgeting processes.
Key Takeaways:
- Rights over pity: Disability inclusion isn’t a favor—it’s an obligation grounded in human rights.
17th April, 2025
Citizen Engagement in Budget Estimates
Nairobi Eastern Central Regional Budget Hub – NEC Hub‘s dedicated Budget Facilitator, Faith Kiema alongside Kitui County’s formidable Budget Champions, John Kilonzo
and Kennedy Mutisya, recently attended crucial public consultative forums on Kitui County’s Programme-Based Budget (PBB) Estimates for the Financial Year 2025/26.
Responding proactively to the Kitui County Budget Department’s call for public participation, this dynamic team meticulously unbundled the draft PBB. Their rigorous analysis culminated in the drafting of a comprehensive memorandum, which was formally presented during the physical forums held on April 15th, 2025.
Our Partners
