New statehouse budget shows Ksh. 11.5B set aside for renovation

The estimates show that Ksh.11.5 billion of the taxpayers' revenue will be spent on 13 projects including renovation of state houses and state Lodges situated at different locations across the Country.

Statehouse wants to splash Ksh.8 billion on salaries, operations and maintenance expenditures.

The estimates presented to the National Assembly Administration Committee show that statehouse already surpassed their approved budget ceiling by Ksh.262 million during the Financial Year 2023/24.

The estimates include the refurbishment of buildings at State House Nairobi, estimated at Ksh.1.7 Billion over the next three years, with a proposed allocation of Ksh.250 million in the 2024/2025 budget estimates and the purchase of specialized plant, machine and equipment is estimated at Ksh.433 million.

Other projects are ICT Networking and Communications Equipment in Nairobi are estimated at Ksh. 655 million, construction and other Civil works at Ksh.3 billion, refurbishment of buildings at Eldoret State Lodge and Sagana State Lodge at Ksh.926 million and Ksh.388 million respectively and phase 2 refurbishment of the fence and main House at Mombasa State House at Ksh.1.3 billion.

Additionally, the refurbishment of buildings at Nakuru State House, Kisumu State Lodge and Kakamega State Lodges is at Ksh.1.1 billion, Ksh.245 million and Ksh.265 million respectively while that of Kisii State Lodge is at Ksh.795 million.

The estimated cost for Mechanical Garage is Ksh.428 million and the cost for refurbishment of Mtito Andei State Lodge is Ksh.45 million, which brings the total estimated cost to Ksh.11.5 billion.

The Legislators raised concerns over the high Recurrent Expenditure which entirely consists of personnel emoluments at Ksh.7.9 billion.

The Total Budgetary Allocation for the State House for the Financial Year 2024/2025 Budget Estimate is Ksh.9.4 billion.

The revelations come barely 72 hours after the Basic Education Principal Secretary informed the National Assembly Education committee that the Treasury has scrapped off Ksh.4.9 billion budget allocation for the Free School Feeding Program affecting over 4 million learners due to financial constraints. 

“We urge Parliament to reinstate this programme to feed our children,” said PS Belio Kipsang.

In the meantime, the Office of the Deputy President has confirmed that it has sought hundreds of millions of shillings in budgetary provision for the purchase of new cars and the refurbishment of his Harambee Annex Office and official residences in Karen and Mombasa. 

It however disputed the figures published in media reports on Wednesday and which were informed by the appearance of Principal Administrative Secretary Patrick Keige Mwangi before the National Assembly's Committee on Administration and Internal Security.