The National Assembly was once again engulfed in a heated debate as Members of Parliament clashed over Supplementary Estimates II for the 2025/26 financial year, with sharp divisions emerging over allocations to State House and the Office of the Deputy President.
Lawmakers spent a better part of the sitting trading arguments on whether the proposed expenditure reflects prudent use of public funds, with some defending the allocations as essential for government operations while others raised concerns over transparency.
The Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security, which oversees the funding, moved to calm tensions, insisting that the allocations are properly appropriated and strictly meant for official government functions.
Committee Chair and Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo defended the figures, saying there was no misuse in the budget lines under scrutiny. He maintained that the committee ensures that funds allocated to State House and other executive offices are justified, properly managed, and directed towards serving national interests.
However, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi strongly opposed the allocations, questioning what he termed as vague and unexplained expenditure items within the supplementary budget. He raised concern over broad classifications such as “general operations” and “confidential expenditure,” arguing that they obscure accountability and make public oversight difficult.
Omondi further alleged that some of the allocations could be linked to political activities, remarks that sparked immediate uproar in the House, with several MPs demanding that he substantiate his claims.
“We know why this money is being allocated to these particular offices, it is to provide resources for political campaigns. It is confidential expenditure that nobody can verify,” he said, drawing mixed reactions from fellow legislators.
He specifically pointed to allocations including KSh1 billion for State House, KSh200 million for the Deputy President’s office, and KSh3.5 billion for the National Intelligence Service, questioning the rationale behind the figures.
Despite the heated exchange, the National Assembly proceeded to approve the Supplementary Estimates II for the 2025/26 financial year, raising the national budget by KSh18.24 billion just days before the close of the financial year.
The supplementary budget is intended to address operational shortfalls, maintenance costs, security needs, revised Appropriations-in-Aid, and development partner-funded programmes across government.
The approval comes at a time when public scrutiny over government spending continues to intensify. Recently, the Controller of Budget flagged KSh4.45 billion in additional unauthorised or unforeseen expenditure at State House, adding to ongoing concerns over accountability.
Looking ahead, projections for the 2026/27 financial year indicate further increases in allocations, with the Office of the President and State House both set to receive significantly higher funding, further setting the stage for continued debate on public expenditure priorities.
