Kenyans are bracing for a renewed wave of economic austerity as cash-strapped Kenya Kwanza government, grappling with a severe debt crisis and dwindling revenues, makes a hurried return to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) just months after abruptly abandoning a previous $2.3 billion programme over unmet targets.

Analysts say this signals that National Treasury mandarins led by Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, have run out of feasible fundraising options to bank roll the national budget, with windows to borrow domestically and from foreign lenders, narrowing dramatically.