Why presidential aspirants don’t know what awaits them – Moses Kuria

President William Ruto’s senior economic advisor, Moses Kuria, has said that most Kenyan presidential aspirants have no idea what they are getting themselves into.

In a statement analysing Kenya's financial landscape, Kuria said he was concerned by the understanding of presidential candidates about the complexities of the nation's budget.

He noted that the Budget Estimates for 2025-2026 reveal that a staggering Sh1.3 trillion out of Sh4.2 trillion budget is earmarked for debt servicing and pensions.

“This is not negotiable, and we can never default on that. The price to pay for our thoughtless expansionism in the past,” Kuria said on X.

He went on to say that an additional Sh1.7 trillion is allocated for recurrent expenditures of the National Government, with Sh680 billion specifically designated for salaries within a civil service that many consider bloated and inefficient.

He noted that any attempts to reform the civil service only pose a challenge, as the potential backlash from jobless citizens defending civil servants could lead to unrest.

“Our bloated and inefficient civil service, which you cannot reform because jobless Kenyans will go to the streets to defend the civil servants who continue to eat everything at the expense of the rest of Kenyans.”

The former Cabinet Secretary further highlighted the government's extensive social programs, which some critics argue reflect a shift towards communism.

He noted that with initiatives such as Free Education, Pesa ya Wazee, subsidised fertilisers and health services costing Sh700 billion, the allocation of Sh400 billion to parastatals, which are often viewed as ineffective, raises further questions about the country’s fiscal responsibility.

Kuria said counties are not left out of the financial equation, with Sh471 billion set aside for equitable sharing, equalisation funds, and conditional grants.

He said that any attempts to negotiate or question the expenditure of these funds are met with resistance and perceived as an attack on devolution.

Kuria said that after all this, the only amount that is left for development is Sh291 billion, representing only 6.9% of the total budget.

He said that as the nation approaches the election, the implications of these financial realities weigh heavily on the shoulders of presidential candidates, who must navigate these challenges while seeking the support of the electorate.

He, however, said that he wishes them the best.