NAIROBI, Kenya — The Office of the Deputy President has requested an additional Sh1.89 billion under Supplementary Estimates No. 1 for the 2025/2026 financial year, citing operational demands and the need to sustain key government programmes.
During a hearing before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security on March 13, Principal Administrative Secretary Moses Mbaruku said the office had initially been allocated Sh3.07 billion, comprising Sh2.97 billion for recurrent expenditure and Sh100 million for development projects.
He told lawmakers that the additional allocation would support the smooth execution of planned activities for the remainder of the financial year.
“The consideration of the Supplementary Estimates No. 1 for FY 2025/26 comes at a critical time when the Deputy President, in his delegated role, is consolidating national efforts towards coordination, oversight, and acceleration of the implementation of priority programmes, projects, and initiatives,” Mbaruku said.
Funding gaps and operational costs
According to the Office of the Deputy President, the additional funding will help cover a salary shortfall resulting from the recruitment of supernumerary staff assigned to the office.
The proposal also includes internal reallocations totaling Sh60 million, to be redirected to cover gaps in hospitality and domestic travel expenditures.
Of this amount, Sh36 million has been earmarked for hospitality expenses, while Sh24 million will support domestic travel.
Officials say the funding adjustment is necessary to ensure the office can continue to coordinate national programmes and support priority government initiatives across ministries and agencies.
MPs raise constitutional concerns
However, some lawmakers expressed concern over the proposed funding increase and the potential use of emergency constitutional provisions.
Dido Rasso cautioned against frequent reliance on Article 223 of the Constitution of Kenya, which allows the government to authorise spending before parliamentary approval in urgent situations.
“We must set a good example for other offices in the country. Relying on this provision could distort the budgeting framework,” Rasso said.
“Use of Article 223 risks turning budgets into fleeting allocations rather than planned programmes. Ultimately, this would be an abuse of the budgeting process. The article should only plug emergencies, not provide money for general spending,” he added.
Clarification on spouse’s office spending
Mbaruku also addressed media reports alleging that Sh44 million had been spent on the Office of the Spouse of the Deputy President.
He clarified that the office was abolished during the 2024/25 financial year and that the reported expenditure resulted from an administrative error by the Office of the Controller of Budget.
“The Controller of Budget erroneously indicated this expenditure based on information from their website. That office was scrapped during the 2024/25 financial year,” he explained.
According to Mbaruku, the Office of the Deputy President formally challenged the figures, prompting the Controller of Budget to apologise and update the records to remove the incorrect document.
