CSs Mvurya, Mutua call for increased social sector funding before parliamentary committee

The two Cabinet Secretaries made the appeal while appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Social Protection, where they outlined key policies, ongoing initiatives and funding gaps affecting the country’s social sector.

Mvurya said that although Kenya has made notable progress under the Economic Transformation Agenda, investment in social capital has not kept pace with economic reforms.

“We have agreed that our country is progressing well in the economic transformation agenda; however, there is need for deliberate investment in social capital to empower the youth, PWDs and vulnerable groups,” he said.

He noted that the State Department for Youth Affairs is currently facing a budget shortfall of KSh 17.38 billion, a constraint that has limited the expansion of transformative youth empowerment programmes.

According to the CS, emerging and evolving social needs require structured and predictable funding to deliver measurable impact.

Mutua echoed the concerns, saying lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic exposed weaknesses in Kenya’s social protection systems.

“We learnt from COVID-19 that there were insufficient social protection buffers. These groups deserve dignity and structured support to elevate their livelihoods. The Treasury has, for long, reduced funding in several cycles, but that has to change,” Mutua said.

He added that President William Ruto remains committed to youth empowerment and social protection initiatives, pointing to flagship programmes aimed at expanding opportunities and strengthening safety nets, while stressing that enhanced allocations are necessary to scale their impact.

Committee Chairperson Alice Ng'ang'a backed the call for increased funding, noting that rising case numbers among vulnerable populations reflect growing demand for social services.

The two ministries reiterated that strengthening social protection frameworks is essential to achieving inclusive growth, restoring dignity and ensuring sustainable empowerment for Kenya’s most vulnerable citizens, and called on The National Treasury to prioritise the sector in upcoming budget cycles.