At least 14 State departments and agencies failed to spend on any development plans in the 11 months to May 2025, undermining projects budgeted at Sh9.38 billion in June last year.
The National Treasury’s statement of money released to agencies and counties between July 2024 and May 2025 shows that among offices that did not receive any cash to fund development projects were President William Ruto’s office, State House, and his Deputy Kithure Kindiki.
During the 11 months, Treasury released Sh264.8 billion to fund development projects across the national government, out of the annual budget of Sh354.9 billion. Over the same period, however, Treasury did not release any funding to the 14 agencies and State departments, though they originally had plans to undertake development projects.
Other offices that went for 11 months without any development funding included the National Police Service (NPS), the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the Public Service Commission (PSC), the National Land Commission (NLC), and the National Gender and Equality Commission.
The State Departments for the East African Community (EAC), Petroleum, Mining, Sports, Broadcasting and Telecommunications, and Foreign Affairs, also did not receive any development funding during the period.
Vigilance House in Nairobi, the National Police Service headquarters.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
In the original budget in June last year, the Treasury had allocated Sh9.38 billion to the 14 agencies and State departments, but some of them were robbed of the allocations in the subsequent supplementary budgets.
The executive office of the president, the State House, and the NPS did not receive any funding though their allocations have not been removed through any of the three supplementary budgets passed.
President Ruto’s development budget was originally Sh1.2 billion but was later cut to Sh50 million, the State House’s was slashed from Sh1.56 billion to Sh400 million, and the NPS budget was lowered from Sh1.78 billion to Sh85 million.
The three offices had a combined development budget of Sh4.5 billion in the original budget, which came down to Sh535 million following revisions.
The other offices and State departments had originally been budgeted to collectively spend Sh4.8 billion on development projects, but the allocations were removed in supplementary budgets.
A Sh320.4 million allocation to the office of the deputy president, Sh2.39 billion to the State Department for foreign affairs, and Sh651.9 million to the State Department for broadcasting and telecommunications were removed in supplementary budgets.
Similar decisions were made for the IEBC (Sh24.3 million), the State Department for Mining (Sh652.26 million), and the State Department for Petroleum (Sh375.2 million).
National Land Commission CEO Kabale Tache Arero.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
Treasury had an original development budget of Sh458.8 billion for the national government, which was cut to Sh354.9 billion through mid-year revisions.
The money released over the 11 months left a balance of Sh90 billion to be covered in June alone, raising the fears of underfunding should revenue shortfalls witnessed through the 11 months continue.
