Nairobi, May 6 : Kenya will spend Sh2.3 billion taxpayers' money to renovate and upgrade his offices according to the 2025/26 budget estimates, a move that positions the Executive Office of the President and State House among the few government institutions to receive increased allocations amid a nationwide push for austerity.
The National Treasury has indicated that the bulk of the Sh2.3 billion will go into rehabilitation and refurbishment works at State House, Nairobi and various State lodges.
Specifically, Sh894.9 million has been earmarked for rehabilitation works, continuing a long-running budget item.
The development budget for the Office of the President will also rise significantly, by nearly 300 times, to Sh1.46 billion from the current Sh50 million, to cater for maintenance at Harambee House, refurbishment of the Government Press and a further allocation to the National Fund for the Disabled.
“In the fiscal year 2025/26 and throughout the medium-term period, the State House will support His Excellency in executing the constitutional mandate,” the Treasury said in its estimates.
“Additionally, it will assist the Office of the Secretary to the Cabinet by providing policy advisory and strategic support for government initiatives. The State House will also facilitate strategic communications and public engagements, ensure the maintenance of infrastructure at State House and Lodges, and administer statutory benefits for the retired President, Vice Presidents and other designated State officers.”
The Sh894.9 million renovation budget comes months after a major makeover of the State House, Nairobi, that included the conversion of its traditional colonial roof into a flat structure, a change that drew public criticism and concern from professional bodies such as the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK).
The facelift budget comes despite Kenya Kwanza’s pledges to cut down on luxurious and non-essential spending in response to mounting financial pressures, underwhelming revenue collection and dwindling external and donor funding.
While approving the draft budget on May 2, the Cabinet acknowledged that the initial Sh4.3 trillion estimates would require “substantial revisions” before being submitted to Parliament, citing reduced revenue expectations. Although the statement lacked details, it indicated that efforts to shrink the fiscal deficit to 2.7 per cent without increasing taxes would require deep spending cuts.
Recent expenditure reports show that renovation funding had previously been absorbed by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Ministry of Defence. In the second supplementary budget for the 2024/25 fiscal year, the Treasury had scrapped the initial Sh1.5 billion earmarked for State House rehabilitation amid backlash over spending priorities, before now reinstating part of the budget under new provisions.
Of the new Sh894.9 million allocation, Sh680.7 million will go toward general maintenance at State House, Nairobi. Other State lodges and government-owned facilities set to benefit include Eldoret State Lodge (Sh60.1 million), State House Sagana (Sh15 million), Mombasa State House (Sh42.5 million), Nakuru State House (Sh25 million), Kisumu State Lodge (Sh24 million), Kakamega State Lodge (Sh25 million), Kisii State Lodge (Sh12.5 million), and the Mechanical Garage (Sh10 million).
Recurrent budgets for both the Office of the President and the State House remain relatively stable at Sh4.48 billion and Sh7.96 billion, respectively. These budgets fund operational and administrative costs tied to the presidency and the running of official residences.
