Public spending at State House Nairobi has come under fresh scrutiny after the institution revealed that its budget for the current financial year is expected to reach about Ksh.17 billion, nearly double the amount that had initially been approved.
The development has raised questions about government spending even as officials insist the original allocation was not enough to meet operational needs.
At the start of the 2025/2026 financial year on July 1, Parliament approved a budget of Ksh.8.58 billion for the operations of State House Nairobi.
However, the amount was later revised upward after additional funding was approved through a supplementary budget.
According to estimates in Supplementary Budget 1, an extra Ksh.8.43 billion was added, pushing the total expected spending for the year to about Ksh.17 billion.
Records presented to Parliament show that the request for more funds was made just three months into the financial year, after the institution had already exhausted the money allocated for the entire period.
Officials explained that the additional resources were needed to cover salary adjustments as well as increased operational and maintenance costs.
Katoo Ole Metito, the State House Comptroller, told lawmakers that the institution had originally asked for a larger allocation but received far less than it required.
According to him, the office had requested about Ksh.18 billion for the year but was given approximately Ksh.7.6 billion in the initial budget.
He said the additional funding approved later still does not fully meet the institution’s needs.
Part of the extra funds was accessed through Article 223 of the Constitution of Kenya, which allows the government to spend money that was not originally authorised by Parliament when funds are insufficient or when urgent needs arise.
However, the use of this provision has attracted criticism in the past. The Office of the Controller of Budget has warned that the law should only be used in genuine emergencies and not for routine government spending.
Further attention has been drawn to the issue after reports showed that the institution had already exceeded its budget by about Ksh.2.7 billion within the first seven months of the financial year.
Critics say this raises concerns about financial discipline and the management of public resources.
Officials have partly linked the rising costs to the expansion of state lodges across the country. Over the past three years, four new lodges have been built in Bungoma, Homa Bay, Kitui and Kwale. Each facility requires staff, maintenance, and operational funding.
Looking ahead, the institution is projecting even higher financial needs. It has proposed a budget of Ksh.20 billion for the next financial year beginning July 1, although current estimates show that about Ksh.11 billion has been allocated so far.
Spending at State House Nairobi has been rising steadily in recent years, with about Ksh.12 billion spent in the 2024/2025 financial year, Ksh.11.3 billion in 2023/2024, and Ksh.9.1 billion in 2022/2023.
The institution is also facing a legal challenge after a petitioner moved to court seeking to stop William Ruto from hosting political events at State House, arguing that such activities may contribute to the growing operational costs.
The case adds another layer to the ongoing debate about the use of public resources at the country’s most prominent government residence.
