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State House spent Sh700 million for the construction of a modern presidential dais, the 2023 /2024 supplementary estimates shows.

The estimates tabled in the National Assembly shows that in total, State House received Sh4.1 billion which includes Sh3.2 billion for both State House and State House affairs and Sh900 million that was spent to cater for operations and maintenance.

The estimates from the National Treasury also show the government also spent Sh1.5 billion under the Tourism Product Development and Diversification to cater for the facelift of Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC).

The said expenditures are part of the additional allocation of Sh21.1 billion comprising Sh6.9 billion under recurrent and Sh14.4 billion under development expenditure that National Treasury has approved under Article 223 of the constitution. Of the money Sh698.8 million has already been disbursed.

Reads the estimates: “Following the adjustments the National Treasury has made to the votes and programmes, some programs have exceeded the ten percent threshold.

The National Treasury in this regard is requesting for special approval of the expenditure adjustments which are beyond the 10 percent threshold in accordance with regulation 40(9) of the Public Finance Management Regulations 2015.”

In his brief to Parliament, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u said in the estimates, they have included drought-related interventions, Shortfalls under the education sector as New Funding Model for Technical, Vocational and Education Training (TVET), Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), University scholarships, Examinations and Junior Secondary School Capitation.

Security operations

In addition, the other interventions include security operations related interventions, fertilizer subsidy, Purchase of Food Reserves, Settlement of debts owed to Sugar and Coffee Farmers, crop Post-Harvest Loss Management, Drought Related Interventions, Salary Adjustments, Changes in Development Partners funded projects among others,.

Said Ndung’u: “The financial year 2023/2024 Supplementary Estimates no 1 has been prepared pursuant to article 223 of the constitution and section 44 of the Public Finance Management Act 2012 (PFMA, 2012).”

In the estimates, the President William Ruto’s office allocation has been reduced by Sh304.7 billion from Sh4.3 billion to Sh4 billion due to budget rationalization after allocation toward government printing Services was reduced by Sh123.98 million, allocation for general administration planning and support was reduced by Sh115.5 million while the allocation towards government advisory services was reduced by Sh65.1 million.

Deputy President’s office

The allocation in the Office of the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has been increased by Sh759.5 million from Sh3.8 billion to Sh4.2 billion to cater for operations and maintenance as well as for the refurbishment of the boardroom.

The budget for the office of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has not been affected as it currently stands at Sh1.12 billion but key vote heads under the department have been reduced.

Part of the allocation reduced include the reduction of the vote for the State Department for Parliamentary Affairs by Sh276.5 million from Sh669.5 million to Sh393 million after allocation towards the Parliamentary Liaison and Legislative Affairs was reduced by Sh74.3 million, the allocation for policy coordination and Strategy reduced by Sh74.8 million while the vote for general administration, planning and support services has been reduced by Sh127.4 million due to budget rationalization.

The State department for Arid and Semi-Arid lands and Regional Development received Sh4.7 billion while the allocation for emergency relieves and Refugee Assistance received an additional Sh2 billion to cater for drought and humanitarian emergency response.

The State department for medical services got an additional Sh1.59 billion, the National Referral and specialised services Sh 1.3 billion and transforming Health systems for Universal Health care project Sh 1.3 billion.

The State department for energy got Sh2.4 billion for power transmission and distribution, the Eastern Electricity Highway project Sh1.6 billion while the department for Crop development and management Sh2.5 billion out of which Sh2.24 billion is for crop-post harvest loss management and Sh250 million is for National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) dryers and Bulk Storage facility.