CS Mbadi breaks tradition, arrives at Parliament without official Passat

In a bold defiance against a five-year expensive and luxurious tradition, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi on Thursday arrived at Parliament Buildings for the 2025/2026 budget reading on foot. 

Mbadi marched from Treasury Buildings to the Parliament Buildings for his first most demanding assignment since he assumed office.

Google Maps estimates it is 750 metres away and takes nine minutes on foot. It could be faster if you walked at a steady stride. 

In another significant change of events, the CS also arrived earlier by 30 minutes, as he was meant to be at the Parliament at 2 pm, but was there at 1:30 pm.

He was not received by the Clerk of the National Assembly, as is the norm. 

As per tradition, a treasury CS is supposed to be driven in the ceremonial grey Volkswagen Passat under heavy police guard all the way to Parliament Buildings.

The German car has become the traditional vehicle that National Treasury Cabinet Secretaries have been using to go to the House for budget reading.

In 2009, the Treasury acquired 130 Passat vehicles for Cabinet secretaries at a cost of Sh499.5 million.

Then Finance Minister and now former President Uhuru Kenyatta defended the deal saying the vehicles were the cheapest for VIPs in terms of maintenance and engine capacity.

As such, the Volkswagen Passat became the official vehicles for government officials, replacing fuel guzzlers.

The Volkswagen Passat is a series of large family cars manufactured and marketed by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen since 1973.

The Passat has a single powertrain option, a 174-hp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder and a six-speed automatic transmission.

The CS’s convoy snaked through Harambee Avenue at a snail’s pace under tight security from GSU and National Police Service officers.