CS Mbadi clarifies his position on Kenya Kwanza’s empowerment programmes
By Mustafa Juma, August 28, 2025National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has clarified his position on the ongoing debate surrounding empowerment programmes spearheaded by leaders allied to the ruling Kenya Kwanza administration.
Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on Thursday, August 28, 2025, Mbadi said he has no obligation to interrogate the origins of such private funds unless taxpayers’ money is involved.
According to him, leaders involved in the programmes have been contributing money from their own pockets.
Accountability
Mbadi said his concern would only arise if the government was being asked to release money for such initiatives.
In that case, he explained, it would be his duty to demand accountability and ensure value for money.
“I would only be concerned if the requisition was coming to the government to release money for that program. Then I would ask for the value for money and give it a proper assessment. But because this is private money that I am not answerable to the source for, I don’t have an obligation to talk about it,” he stated.
He emphasised that since the organisers of the empowerment initiatives had not approached the government for financial support, he was under no obligation to question or monitor where the money was coming from.
President William Ruto and his allies have been organising what they term as ‘economic empowerment’ across various regions in the country, in which they dish out millions and goodies.
Economic empowerment criticised
However, the initiatives have been widely criticised by a section of leaders, with Nakuru West MP Samuel Arama terming them a scam and lacking in substance.
Speaking on Manoti TV on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, Arama expressed his disapproval of the initiatives, particularly those championed by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and several government-allied legislators.
The legislator questioned the source of the funds being channelled into these forums, arguing that most of the MPs involved were only recently elected and did not have significant financial resources before joining Parliament.
He went on to observe that some of the same MPs now contributing hundreds of thousands of shillings often cannot afford to eat outside Parliament and instead opt for meals within the precincts.
This, he argued, raised serious concerns about how they are suddenly in a position to donate such large sums.
“You can’t tell me that these members of parliament who are giving Ksh1 million – where are they getting the money from? Some of them are not able to feed in hotels in Nairobi. Members of parliament – unakuta member o parliament hawezi kula outside bunge, kwa sababu chakula ya bunge ni free,” Arama said.