President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s offices are set to receive more billions of shillings in the next financial year as budget cuts hit ministries.
The Executive Office of the President will receive Sh1.3 billion more compared to this year’s allocation while that of the DP will go higher by Sh600 million.
President Ruto’s office has been allocated Sh5.3 billion in the coming financial year which is way above the Sh4 billion the office received this year.
DP Gachagua’s office has been allocated Sh4.8 billion compared to the Sh4.2 billion that was allocated to the office in the current budget.
The Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, on the other hand, has been allocated Sh1.1 billion, which is Sh100 million lower than the Sh1.2 billion in the current budget.
The top three offices, including the budget for State House, are tipped for more than Sh20 billion should MPs uphold the proposal by the National Treasury.
While the three top offices are gearing up for the billions, most ministries, state departments and agencies (MDAs) have been hard hit with stringent budget cuts.
Already, the CS Njuguna Ndung’u-led Treasury has slashed Sh270 billion from what ministries agreed with MPs during the consideration of the 2024 Budget Policy Statement.
President Ruto’s lieutenants in Parliament have lately been pushing for the replacement of the presidential jet, citing safety concerns in the wake of the chopper crash that killed General Francis Ogolla.
The MPs, led by Kilifi North MP Owen Baya had asked the Budget committee to consider starting the journey of buying a new official plane for the President this financial year.
The money has however not been allocated in the budget.
The suggestions drew sharp criticisms coming at a time doctors are on strike over pay.
Budget estimates tabled in Parliament by the National Treasury reveal the extent to which a number of ministries have lost significant amounts in the rationalisation plan.
The Ministry of Interior is among the losers in the face of budget cuts to the tune of Sh3 billion and is set to make do with Sh34 billion next fiscal year.
The Basic Education Department budget has been slashed by Sh19 billion and will be provided with Sh139 billion compared to this year’s Sh158 billion.
Universities funding have also been slashed by Sh34 billion and they will now be allocated Sh120 billion compared to Sh154 billion this year.
The Health budget is also coming down by Sh10 billion, that is for the medical services, which is now set to get Sh100 billion.
The Department of Public Health Standards is set to lose Sh2 billion next year in cuts which the Treasury says follow revenue shortfalls.
“Revenues have been below target and previously before the resolution of the Eurobond 2024, domestic liquidity and borrowing was constrained,” CS Njuguna Ndung’u told Parliament in a budget memo.
Treasury disclosed that by the end of March, total revenue was below target by Sh270 billion - of which ordinary revenue accounted for a shortfall of Sh255 billion.
“To remain on course of the path for fiscal consolidation, there is a need to contain borrowing and rationalise expenditure to sustainable levels,” the exchequer advised.
Following the austerity measures, the State House budget has been slashed by Sh400 million compared to the Sh9.8 billion which is allocated in the current budget.
The estimates further show that DP Gachagua’s spouse Dorcas’s office budget has been reduced by Sh160 million in next year’s spending plan.
Whereas the office was allocated Sh717 million in the current budget, Sh557 million has been set aside this year.
Allocations for salaries of her employees have been slashed by Sh100 million, suggesting likely staff rationalisation at the office.
The allocation for personal allowances paid as part of the salaries has also come down from Sh97 million to Sh35 million.
Dorcas has, however, got a boost in domestic travel allocations which have been increased by Sh12 million while the hospitality budget is up by Sh20 million.
Whereas the office was allocated Sh20 million in the current year as ‘other operating expenses’, none has been set aside in next year’s spending plan.
The Deputy President’s spouse conducts drug rehabilitation as well as widows empowerment programmes across the country.
The office of First Lady Rachel Ruto, on the other hand, is set to get Sh100 million more compared to this year’s allocation, pushing her budget to Sh696 million.
Even so, her office’s domestic travel budget has been slashed by Sh20 million, while allocation to salaries for her employees has increased by Sh50 million.
Whereas the office was not this year allocated any budget for the purchase of vehicles, Sh50 million has been set aside for next year.
As a result, more sectors including roads have suffered with budgets set to go down by Sh48 billion from Sh232 billion to Sh184 billion.
Despite the cuts, several departments are set to gain additional funding in the upcoming budget.
Among the gainers are the National Police Service, which is set for a Sh3 billion boost, and the Teachers Service Commission which is tipped for Sh9 billion more.
The Defence budget is also set to increase by Sh15 billion to peak at Sh168 billion, while the Energy Department has got Sh1 billion more to hit Sh64 billion.
At least Sh624 million would go towards pension for retired state officers including former President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka.