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Leaky roofs and dilapidated homes plague Kenya’s foreign missions
The Embassy of Kenya in Washington DC.
The refurbishment, renovation and acquisition of government-owned diplomatic properties are behind schedule despite the government transferring Sh1.86 billion to selected missions abroad.
Data from the State Department for Foreign Affairs tabled in Parliament shows that out of the 21 projects that are at various stages of implementation, only one has been completed.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei tabled a schedule showing the status of the 21 projects for the financial year 2025/25 that indicates that the government had only managed to complete the purchase of a Chancery in London.
The government spent a total of Sh2.676 billion to purchase the Chancery located at 45 Portland Place in the London Westminster district after paying four equal annual instalments of Sh550 million.
The ministry's statistics indicate that all other projects had fallen behind schedule for various reasons, including delays in exchequer releases from the National Treasury and procurement challenges.
“A total of Sh1.863 billion has since been disbursed to selected missions abroad to carry out refurbishment, renovations, and acquisition of government owned diplomatic properties abroad,” Dr Sing’eoi said in a brief outlining projects affected by the Supplementary Estimates No 1 of 2025/26.
“The government of Kenya has over time acquired properties in Missions abroad. These properties require constant maintenance especially in countries with harsh weather conditions.”
Dr Korir Sing’oei, the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
Dr Sing’oei said due to inadequate budgetary provision, most of the properties are dilapidated, forcing Missions to move to rental accommodation, which has resulted in high rental costs for diplomatic properties as leases and rent.
To fast-track implementation of the development projects under the State Department for Foreign Affairs, Dr Sing’oei said a public-private partnership (PPP) funding arrangement has been agreed with the National Treasury, given the financial constraints facing the Kenyan economy.
“The State Department has also developed Asset Acquisition and Management Plan (AAMP) to provide a framework that will guide decision making in the allocation of resources for capital projects, provide criteria for determining the Missions where Kenya should own diplomatic properties, the optimal property mix for different Missions, and a proposed 15-year plan of acquisition,” Dr Sing’oei said.
Appearing before the committee chaired by Belgut MP Nelson Koech to defend the changes in the ministry’s Supplementary Budget 1 of 2025/25, the PS said the State Department for Foreign Affairs require a total of Sh4.25 billion for development.
The amount includes the Sh2.5 billion needed for the acquisition of government-owned diplomatic properties in selected Missions abroad, including Chanceries, official residence and residential houses for officers in a bid to save on rental costs incurred in Missions.
According to Dr Sing’oei, the Treasury has allocated Sh1 billion in the current financial year against a resource requirement for Sh3.5 billion.
He said the ministry has a funding deficit of Sh1.5 billion for the refurbishment of government-owned properties, having allocated Sh600 million out of the total requirement of Sh2.1 billion.
“Sh1.5 billion is needed for refurbishment of government owned properties in selected missions abroad which are in a deplorable state. The funds are needed to fix civil, electrical and mechanical refurbishment works,” Dr Sing’oei said in a brief to the committee.
“Government owned properties need Sh500 million for annual/periodic maintenance in missions abroad that includes civil, electrical and mechanical works.”
He said Sh250 million is also needed to upgrade the existing ICT infrastructure, both at the ministry headquarters and missions abroad.
Of the 21 ongoing projects in Kenyan Missions abroad, nine were supposed to have been completed by June 30, 2025.
These include repairs of the ambassador's residence in the Hague, whose two properties, including one owned by the Deputy Head of Mission, are in a state of disrepair and renovation of government-owned property in Tokyo, where the roof at the Chancery building is leaking.
Works for the construction of an office block and civil works in Mogadishu are at 77 percent completion rate, while renovation of government properties in Kinshasa is at seven percent.
Dr Sing’oei said the Chancery in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo suffered great destruction during the breach or chaos of January 2025, which slowed down the envisaged renovation works. Both projects, Mogadishu and Kinshasa, were to be completed by June last year.
Other government-owned property projects that are behind schedule are the renovation of the Chancery and two staff houses in Harare, repairs of the Chancery and Ambassador’s residence in Paris, purchase and renovation of the Ambassadors' residence in New York, upgrading and renovation of the Ambassador’s residence in London, and renovation of government-owned property in Stockholm.
Works for all nine out of 21 ongoing projects were expected to be completed by June 30, 2025.
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