Trust rarely disappears overnight. It erodes quietly. One broken promise. One opaque decision. One delayed response. One institution at a time.

Before citizens stop believing governments, they first stop believing the agencies that certify their food, regulate their banks, oversee elections, safeguard public health, and enforce the rules that keep society functioning. When trust falters in these institutions, the consequences ripple far beyond public perception, reshaping economies, weakening governance, and straining the very fabric of democracy.

It is against this backdrop that Kenya has embarked on an ambitious journey to place trust at the centre of global governance.

Ahead of the inaugural Global Trust Summit, scheduled for 22–23 October 2026 under the theme “Weaving Trust; Binding Strands for a Stronger Global Order,” the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, through the State Department for Foreign Affairs, hosted the first in a series of stakeholder roundtables, bringing together the country’s regulatory authorities to reflect on one pressing question: How do nations rebuild trust in an era defined by growing scepticism?

The summit, convened by the State Department for Foreign Affairs in partnership with Strathmore University, seeks to position Kenya as a global convener on restoring institutional trust through practical action rather than rhetoric.

Opening the dialogue, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, reminded participants that trust remains indispensable, even in society’s most difficult moments.

“Even in the most morbid of situations, trust is still critical,” he observed, pointing to recent public concerns surrounding Ebola as a reminder that citizens constantly evaluate whether they can believe what institutions tell them.

For Dr. Mudavadi, rebuilding confidence begins with openness. Institutions, he said, must communicate proactively, share information before speculation fills the vacuum, and invest in both technological capacity and human capital. Whether it is confidence in the country’s banking system, the credibility of elections or the integrity of public health responses, strong regulatory institutions are the invisible infrastructure that sustains a functioning society.

“The value of any currency depends on the strength of the banking regulators,” he noted. “The strength of a democratic nation depends on how credible, integral and open the election is.”

Ultimately, he argued, no regulatory framework can outperform the integrity of the people entrusted to implement it.

The strategic vision behind the initiative was outlined by Dr. Korir Sing’Oei, Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, who described the Global Trust Summit, supported by Ford Foundation and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, as Kenya’s contribution to addressing what has become a worldwide crisis of confidence.

“The world has been weaving towards a rules-based order,” he said, referencing Article 6 of the Treaty establishing the East African Community, which places mutual trust, good governance and accountability at the centre of regional cooperation.

Yet, today’s reality tells a different story. Across the globe, confidence in governments and institutions has fallen to historic lows. Research presented during the forum highlighted that more than half of the world’s population expresses little or no trust in government, while distrust increasingly translates into higher investment risks, declining voluntary compliance, growing enforcement costs and weakened social cohesion. The trust deficit, participants heard, is no longer simply a reputational challenge; it has become an operational and economic one.

“We are building a coalition to advance the trust agenda at home, regionally and globally.”

The conversation moved beyond policy into leadership during a fireside discussion moderated around practical experiences.

For Dr. Vincent Ogutu, Vice Chancellor of Strathmore University, trust begins long before communication strategies or public relations campaigns.

“Trust begins with competency to deliver,” he observed. But competence alone is not enough. Trust, he explained, rests on three interdependent dimensions: competence, integrity, and benevolence.

Leadership accountability, he noted, reinforces these qualities and strengthens public confidence.

Leaders, he suggested, should be willing to “consume their own product” if they expect citizens to believe in it. Ultimately, regulators should aspire to build institutions so dependable that citizens instinctively respond, “This cannot happen in Kenya.”

Institutional performance is one side of the coin. The other is meaningful public participation.

Caroline Gaita, Executive Director of Mzalendo Trust, argued that co-creation and innovation are powerful catalysts for rebuilding confidence between governments and their citizens.

Democratic governance, she noted, depends upon timely access to information presented in language that ordinary citizens can understand. Simplifying public communication enables meaningful participation and strengthens democratic legitimacy.

Returning to the broader geopolitical context, Dr. Sing’Oei challenged African nations to reshape global narratives about the continent.

“The risk perception of trust in Africa is overwhelmed,” he said. “As Africans, we must tell our own stories.”

He described mutual trust as “the lubricant that sustains governance”, the invisible force that enables cooperation within nations and across borders.

That sentiment was echoed by Mathias Kamp, Country Representative of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, who reminded participants that trust is neither automatic nor permanent.

“Are the right people selected for the right roles? Do we understand the system? Are we transparent enough?” he asked.

Trust, he concluded, is built patiently through competence, transparency, shared values and consistent performance.

As preparations continue towards October’s Global Trust Summit, Kenya’s message is becoming increasingly clear.

Rebuilding trust is not the responsibility of governments alone. It demands collaboration among regulators, academia, civil society, business and citizens alike. It requires institutions that communicate openly, leaders who model integrity, and systems that consistently deliver on their promises.

Article written by Stephen Wakhu