Kenyan lawmakers have approved the second supplementary budget estimates for the 2025-2026 financial year, but only after a heated debate over billions of shillings directed to some of the government's most powerful offices.
During the debate on the floor of the National Assembly, MPs clashed over the allocations to State House, the Office of the Deputy President and the National Intelligence Service. Those who objected questioned how the large sums were expected to be spent in the time remaining.
The critics singled out specific figures. They pointed to an allocation of 1 billion shillings to State House, 1.5 billion shillings to the Ministry of Interior and 3.5 billion shillings to the National Intelligence Service.
A central concern was the timing. With only about 12 days remaining before the end of the financial year, some lawmakers asked how the billions could realistically be spent in such a short period, and argued that the funds could instead be diverted to political use, including campaigns.
Others framed their objection around priorities. One MP said the administration lacked the right focus, arguing that money of this scale should have been channelled to pending projects rather than to recurrent expenditure.
Despite the objections raised during the session, the second supplementary budget estimates were considered and approved. The debate, however, underlined the continuing scrutiny that Kenyans are giving to how public money is allocated, particularly to high-profile state offices.