Uhuru to get Sh441m perks as bigwigs’ pension bill soars

The hefty amounts shine the spotlight on the cost of maintaining retired leaders.

Taxpayers will for the next three financial years, starting this July 1, fork out about Sh1.4 billion to fund the former President’s budget.

Factoring pension payments to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and former VP Moody Awori, the amount adds up to Sh2 billion.

Estimates tabled in Parliament show the Treasury projects to allocate Kenyatta Sh450 million in the year ending June 2026 and Sh475 million in 2027.

Raila is set to get a total of Sh240 million, Sh230 million for Kalonzo, and Sh160 million for Awori in the three successive years. Out of the next year’s allocations, Uhuru has been allocated Sh120 million for foreign trips and related transportation costs.

The former President is the lead negotiator of the Congo peace process and was also part of the election observer mission in Nigeria.

He is headed to South Africa later this month for the same election exercise.

He is entitled to a fully furnished office manned by scores of aides, most of whom also accompany him when he goes about his activities locally and abroad.

Taxpayers will also foot Uhuru’s local travel at a cost of Sh56 million with budgets for fuel and general equipment going up by at least Sh20 million.

President William Ruto’s administration has, however, stopped allocating budgets for the former President’s rent. He was allocated Sh20 million this year.

Estimates show Uhuru will be handed Sh10 million to purchase office furniture and general equipment, Sh22 million for maintenance of assets, besides another Sh20 million for maintaining his retirement luxury cars.

The Presidential Retirement Benefits Act, 2003, guarantees a retired president two 3,000cc engine capacity cars and two 3,400cc four-wheel drives — all replaceable every three years.

Uhuru, as per the estimates, would also have his fuel provided for by taxpayers at Sh30 million, Sh7 million for general office supplies and Sh23 million for insurance.

Taxpayers would pay Sh49 million to entertain the former President and his guests, pay his aides’ salaries of Sh84 million and pay Sh8 million for supplies.

The allocations do not include Sh22 million pension cash – broken down into Sh14 million in basic salary and about Sh8 million in personal allowances.

From the disclosed figures, the former president’s monthly pension is in the range of Sh1.83 million, way higher than the current President’s Sh1.44 million gross monthly pay.

The revelations come as the new administration has slowed down on the threats to stop the former President’s pension for allegedly meddling in political affairs.

A total of Sh646 million perks will make the high-level retirees comfortable.

Raila has been allocated Sh74 million in the next financial year to cater to his retirement spending.

The bill is projected to total about Sh240 million in the next three financial years, although the former PM is not set for any raise this year.

Taxpayers will pay Raila’s domestic travel at Sh4.8 million, Sh14 million for rent, Sh20 million for insurance, Sh11 million for aides and Sh6.8 million for fuel, among other allocations for utilities.

Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has been tipped for Sh230 million for the period leading to the financial year 2026-27.

Notable allocations include Sh20 million for insurance, Sh10 million for rent and Sh6.5 million for local tours.

The government stopped perks for former presidents Mwai Kibaki and Daniel Moi after their deaths.

Overall, pension bills are set to increase by Sh12 billion in the financial year starting July 1.

The retirement perks cost taxpayers Sh187 billion this financial year, with the figure projected to rise to Sh199 billion in the coming year.

Treasury data reveal the monthly pension for retired members of Parliament is set to increase by Sh2.8 billion.

The jump could be a result of the many MPs who lost the last election and are now entitled to pensions.

Pensions for retired military personnel are to increase by Sh3 billion while those of retired deputy presidents and other state officers are going up by Sh22 million.

Dependants of the entitled pensioners have been allocated Sh4.9 billion, an increase of Sh500 million compared with this financial year.

Widows and children of deceased military personnel, as well as civil servants, are set to get Sh5.4 billion, bringing the cost of ordinary pensions to Sh88 billion.

About Sh70 billion, on the other hand, has been set aside for gratuity to civil servants (Sh60 billion), Sh50 million for MPs and Sh10 billion for military personnel.

Gratuity payments to Uhuru have been paid in full, with no amounts allocated in the next financial year. Those of other designated officers – such as the former Chief Justice – have also been paid to the last shilling, Treasury data reveal.

The exchequer also has a bill of Sh33 billion as its contributions to the staff pensions scheme under the superannuation model.

With the increased allocations, the country’s wage bill is set to rise further and is projected to hit more than Sh1.17 trillion by the end of the current financial year.

The latest disclosures by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission show the national government is to pay as much as Sh317 billion, which is more than Sh289 billion the previous year.

Teachers account for the highest portion of the wage bill at Sh395 billion, being an increase of Sh23 billion compared to last financial year.