MURANG’A, Kenya — Fred Matiang’i has criticised what he described as “historic wastage” of public resources, singling out the growing budgetary allocation to State House Nairobi as evidence of misplaced government priorities.
Speaking during a church service at Weithaga ACK Church on Sunday, the Jubilee Party presidential flagbearer questioned why the presidency required significantly more funding than key national institutions, including Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
“We are suffering from historic wastage of public resources, unprecedented. I have never seen things like this we are seeing. They say this year’s budget allocates Sh17 billion to State House,” Matiang’i told congregants.
The former Interior Cabinet Secretary argued that the scale of the allocation was difficult to justify at a time when critical sectors such as health and education continue to face funding constraints.
“I am asking myself this: How can the State House need more money than Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital? State House is not a referral hospital; there is no surgery being done there, no babies are being born there, and no kidney transplant done at State House. Why do you need Sh17 billion?” he said.
Matiang’i, who is seeking the presidency under the Jubilee Party banner ahead of the 2027 Kenyan general election, claimed the expanded budget could be used to influence the upcoming vote through patronage and political mobilisation.
He pledged that if elected, his administration would drastically reduce the allocation to the presidency and redirect the funds to social services.
“This is when I say… give me that job and see. I will cut that budget by 80 percent,” he said. “Sh7 billion will go to education, Sh7 billion to the health sector. State House will remain with Sh3 billion and I might even return a billion by the end of the year.”
The remarks come amid ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 polls, with opposition figures positioning themselves against the current administration over governance, economic management and public spending.
Matiang’i also used the church gathering to dismiss reports of internal divisions within the emerging opposition coalition, insisting that rival leaders would remain united in challenging the government.
“They are shaking, they have tried to divide us… they were thinking that we would never work together,” he said. “I have bad news for you. We are going to work together.”
