The National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee has expressed worries about national security preparedness and intelligence coordination as it examines policies underpinning the 2026 Budget Policy Statement (BPS), with demands to increase funding by billions of shillings.

Taking to their social media handle on Thursday, February 26, 2026, the parliament confirmed that in a review meeting in Kiambu County, the issues were discussed when the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, Belgut MP Nelson Koech, requested an extra Ksh13.69 billion to enhance national security, increase intelligence, and enhance preparedness for new threats, urging the committee to visit the National Intelligence Services to assess their challenges.

“NIS issued a statement warning Kenyans against the use of illegal recruitment agencies before the issue of trafficking Kenyans to Russia arose. The Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations will engage further with this committee to see how you may visit the NIS and understand their challenges,” Koech noted.

MPs question NIS budget

The committee cast doubt on the National Intelligence Service’s (NIS) effectiveness and on how it will interact with the National Police Service to address domestic and external security threats. The lawmakers were worried by the increasing number of cattle rustling and lawlessness in some regions of the country and also the complaints of Kenyans suffering in foreign countries, especially in Russia and other foreign countries.

In addition, the Budget and Appropriations Committee, led by the chairperson, Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi, questioned the use of funds allocated to intelligence activities, such as the proposed National Intelligence Research University, and the action taken against illegal recruitment agencies accused of trafficking Kenyans to foreign countries.

Defence committee defends NIS budget

Koech, in reply, was on the defence of the intelligence agency, noting that the main responsibility of the intelligence agency is to collect and analyse intelligence and offer advisory support to the government. He mentioned that the NIS had already cautioned Kenyans not to use illegal recruitment firms, most of which operate under intricate international digital networks.

The legislators suggested making an oversight visit to the NIS facilities to examine the use of funds going into the modernisation and intelligence collection, a suggestion that Koech was pleased about. The committee also received applications to allocate more money to the major departments in the government, such as Ksh5.5 billion to the Ministry of Defence, Ksh6 billion to the NIS and other allocations to foreign and diaspora affairs.