The loan is part of the $2.34bn Special Drawing Right (SDR) approved in April 2021 on the condition that Kenya keeps in check its expenditure and huge debt, which is currently in excess of KSh8.2tn ($70.7bn), equivalent to 70% of GDP.
“Upon completion of the Executive Board review, Kenya would have access to SDR179.13m (equivalent to about $244m),” IMF Mission Chief to Kenya Mary Goodman said in a statement.
The $244m loans, which according to the IMF now bring the total amount loaned under the program so far to about KSh135bn ($1.17bn), are meant to help the country weather rough economic terrain. The last tranche, which was issued in May 2021, was $410m.