Faith Masita
The State House under President William Ruto has spent billions of shillings without prior approval from Members of Parliament, raising concerns over government accountability and the use of emergency spending powers.
Reports from government budget oversight institutions show that the presidency exceeded its approved expenditure by billions of shillings in the current financial year, triggering questions from lawmakers and financial watchdogs.
According to expenditure data, State House spent Sh4.32 billion in the first three months of the financial year, more than double the quarterly budget target of Sh1.92 billion. The overspending has been linked to operational costs including travel, hospitality, fuel and vehicle maintenance.
The flagged the spending in a report, noting that some of the withdrawals were made using constitutional provisions that allow emergency spending before parliamentary approval.
“The National Government invoked Article 223 of the Constitution to access funds for urgent and unforeseen expenditures before seeking approval from Parliament,” the Controller of Budget stated in the report.
However, the report raised concerns about the growing reliance on the provision, warning that it risks weakening parliamentary oversight of public spending.
Financial experts and lawmakers have criticized the trend, saying it undermines accountability in the use of public funds.
One legislator who spoke during parliamentary discussions said, “Public money must always be spent within the law and with full approval of Parliament. Any deviation raises serious accountability concerns.”
The spending revelations come amid mounting public pressure on the government to cut expenditure as Kenya faces rising debt levels and economic challenges.
Analysts say increased scrutiny of presidential spending could intensify debates over fiscal discipline and transparency within government institutions.
Oversight bodies have now called for stricter monitoring of government expenditure to ensure that all spending, including that of the presidency, complies with constitutional and budgetary procedures.
