The Office of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki is seeking an additional Sh450 million allocation for hospitality and helicopter hiring, according to documents presented to Parliament.
Prof Kindiki’s office, which was initially allocated Sh523 million for hospitality, wants an additional Sh350 million, which will raise the entire budget to Sh873 million before the financial year ends in June.
In the budget, hospitality essentially covers expenses such as catering and entertainment.
Kisumu West MP Rosa Buyu criticised the huge allocations to hospitality at the DP’s office, saying it goes against President William Ruto’s calls for austerity measures at a time the government is struggling to raise the required revenue to finance its operations.
“The amount of money spent on hospitality is huge. What justifies this huge allocation?” Ms Buyu asked.
The DP’s office has also spent an extra Sh100 million in leasing helicopters, according to supplementary budget estimates I for the 2025/26 financial year under consideration in the National Assembly.
The enhanced budget comes as the government slashed Sh4.5 billion from the Kenya Primary Education Equity in learning programme, Sh2.8 billion from Konza data centre and smart facilities and Sh1 billion from the Kenya digital economy acceleration project.
Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
The higher budget for the DP’s office is part of the Sh1.9 billion that it is seeking MPs’ approval, three months to the end of the current financial year, amid absorption concerns.
If MPs approve the additional budget, the global allocation to the office in the current financial year will hit Sh4.9 billion, a 64 percent increment compared to the Sh2.97 billion that was approved in June 2025.
The office of the Deputy President is in charge of spearheading various strategic interventions, fast-tracking the implementation of government policies, programmes and projects across the country and conducting strategic monitoring and evaluation.
Of the additional sums the office wants MPs to approve, Sh950 million has already been withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund Service (CFS) and expended under Article 223 of the constitution, which Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma says diminishes the budget-making role of the National Assembly.
“It’s like they are just reporting to us and not seeking our concurrence. Using supplementary budget to address matters that can be taken care of in the main budget is not right,” said Mr Kaluma, with Loima MP Protus Akuja also weighing in.
“There seems to be a trend within the government to rush to Article 223 of the Constitution. They use what was allocated, and once it is finished, they use the back door to get what they had proposed but were not given,” said Mr Akuja.
Documents presented to parliament by Principal Administrative Secretary Mr Moses Mbaruku show that Sh600 million was incurred for the DP’s other operating expenses.
“In his delegated role, the DP is required to lead in monitoring and supervision missions to assess the implementation of key government priorities and programs and ensure accountability as well as citizen expectations are met,” says Mr Mbaruku.
According to Mr Mbaruku, the additional allocation “was meant to facilitate the engagements of DP to deliver on these functions.”
Principal Administrative Secretary Mr Moses Mbaruku.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
There is also Sh250 million for hospitality expenses. The hospitality budget, Mr Mbaruku says, is part of the coordination and supervision of the government.
“The Deputy President is required to, among other roles, lead cabinet sub-committee, high-level inter-ministerial or multi-sectoral agencies by linking up policy development with implementation to ensure effective coordination of priorities or initiatives that cut across several ministries.”
“The DP is also involved in citizen engagements as part of President Ruto’s vision of uniting the nation around national priorities. ODP, therefore, is required to facilitate these engagements.”
“The DP traverses different parts of the country to supervise implementation of government policies, programs and projects,” says Mr Mbaruku.
He notes that the “unreliable scheduling and reliance on other government agencies for air transport have led to significant disruptions, which have occasioned the hiring of choppers, further increasing the expenditure” is the reason for the additional funding.
The other areas that the office also wants enhanced include Sh345.5 million on top of the approved Sh766.1 million for compensation of employees and Sh200 million on top of the allocated Sh344.8 million for local travel.
The other additional allocations include Sh888 million above the Sh470 million that was allocated for other operating expenses, Sh100 million above Sh150.8 million that was initially allocated towards hire of transport and Sh12 million on top of Sh121.97 million for fuel.
