The National Assembly will next week hold its 2026 Legislative Retreat in Nakuru County, bringing together the leadership and Members of Parliament for a five-day forum to evaluate legislative performance and set the agenda for the Fifth Session of the 13th Parliament.

The retreat, scheduled for January 26–30, 2026, will be held under the theme “Securing Parliamentary Legacy: Delivering the Fifth Session’s Agenda and Preparing for Transition.” It comes at a crucial point in the life of the current Parliament, as the House seeks to consolidate its achievements, set legislative priorities and prepare for the next General Election.

The retreat will provide an opportunity for legislators to assess progress made during the past four sessions, share lessons, and deliberate on key national priorities, including implementation of the Competency Based Education system, status of SHA and health care service delivery, electoral preparedness, economic recovery and the future direction of the National Government Constituency Development Fund with a view to strengthening parliamentary responsiveness and impact.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Moses Wetang’ula, said the Nakuru retreat is designed to enable Members to reflect on Parliament’s legislative output and strengthen oversight on critical sectors ahead of the transition period.

“The Fifth Session represents the home stretch for this Parliament,” Speaker Wetang’ula said. “It is a time for Members to take stock of what has been achieved, identify gaps, and chart a course that ensures the 13th Parliament leaves behind a strong and credible legacy anchored on service, accountability, and effective governance.”

With the general election looming, Members will focus on electoral preparedness, Independent Election and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chair, Mr. Erastus Edung Ethekon, will update Members on the Commission’s readiness, boundary delimitation, and electoral technology. The session will also highlight the adequacy of legal and financial frameworks governing elections and identify oversight priorities for the House.

Lawmakers are expected to  discuss the Political Parties Act and the Political Parties Fund, and consider matters including the accountability in campaign financing, and the role of the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties in ensuring transparency and internal democracy.

Registrar of Political Parties, Mr. John Lorionokou, will brief MPs on strengthening compliance and enhancing inclusivity in political operations as Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Elections.

On the education sector, the implementation of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) will be under the microscope. Ten years since its conceptualization, the 2-6-3-3 structure still faces infrastructure and teacher-ratio hurdles that the Members of the National Assembly intend to address through targeted legislative interventions.

"The Cabinet Secretary for Education last appeared in plenary of the National Assembly on 5th November 2025 to provide the status of disbursement of Capitation Funds to Schools which had not received funding for the second and third term. Members will have an opportunity to assess the current status of CBE implementation and address its challenges, with a view to identifying policy and legislative interventions to strengthen the effective and sustainable delivery of the curriculum, " said the Speaker Wetang'ula.

The retreat will also review the implementation of health sector reforms, with Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon. Aden Duale, expected to brief MPs on the status of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) under the Social Health Authority (SHA). Legislators will discuss the impact of the new scheme, ongoing reforms in healthcare service delivery, and measures to improve efficiency and equity in the health system.

Economic management will also take center stage, with Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning, Hon. John Mbadi, expected to provide a briefing on the state of the economy and fiscal projections. The discussion will focus on public debt management, pending bills, and fiscal consolidation, with a view to ensuring that budgetary reforms in the 2026/2027 Budget reflect national priorities and sustainable growth.

“The National Assembly remains at the center of budget-making and fiscal accountability,” Speaker Wetang’ula said. “This retreat will enable Members to engage the Treasury on the economic outlook, clarify concerns from citizens, and identify legislative interventions to strengthen Kenya’s economic resilience.”

Following the passage of Government-Owned Enterprises Act, 2025 which provides for the establishment, control, governance, performance and ownership of Government Owned Enterprises, legislators will deliberate on Parliament’s oversight role in ensuring that ongoing and proposed privatisation efforts under the Government-Owned Enterprises Act, 2025, are transparent, fiscally sound, and beneficial to the public. 

Lawmakers will  further audit the status of reforms at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), with Managing Trustee, Mr. David Koross expected to brief Members on compliance, sustainability, and protection of contributors’ funds.

The retreat will serve as a clinical audit of the past four sessions. Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Moses Wetang’ula, emphasized that the forum is a constitutional imperative for the House to realign its priorities.

The 2026 Legislative Retreat will culminate in a roadmap for the 2026/2027 Budget, setting the stage for the final full fiscal year of the current administration.