State House and Lodges repairs to eat up Sh8 billion

The government plans to spend Sh7.81 billion to renovate State Houses and lodges, with some Sh2.08 billion already spent, a new report shows.

The document also reveals that, despite the Gen Z protests against government extravagance, public officers splurged a record Sh6 billion on travel within three months after the demos.

The revelations are contained in the latest national government expenditure report for the first half of the financial year released by Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o on Thursday.

According to the report, the government is renovating State House Nairobi and Mombasa and eight state lodges. The revelations are likely to trigger fresh concerns about President William Ruto’s government priorities.

The government last year faced perhaps the worst protests in the country’s history over extravagance, excesses and unpopular policies.

The Sh7.81 billion also includes the purchase of a specialised plant, equipment, and machinery for the premises at Sh422.36 million and establishment of a mechanical garage for Sh428.56 million.

“An analysis of the State House project implementation status reveals different levels of completion percentages with the lowest recording one per cent,” the report states.

They include the refurbishment of buildings at the Nairobi State House for Sh1.77 billion. Already, Sh775.74 million has been spent on the modernisation of the famous house on the hill, which critics said destroyed its unique architectural design.

The government is refurbishing the Eldoret State Lodge for Sh926.6 million. Some Sh47.1 million has been spent on the works.

“Refurbishment of buildings at Eldoret State Lodge, which started in 2015, is merely at five per cent,” Nyakang’o said in the report.

The country’s budget boss said the delays to complete the works highlight the critical need for strategic planning and prioritisation to ensure timely project completion.

At the Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri, the government is renovating the premises for Sh388.76 million, with some Sh106.91 million already spent.

Renovation works are also underway at State House Mombasa, where the government is refurbishing a fence and the main house. The project is set to gobble up Sh1.18 billion.

Already, Sh424.44 million has been used. At the Kisumu State Lodge, the government is spending Sh245.14 million to give the premises a facelift.

Some Sh35.31 million has already been spent. In Kakamega, the government is refurbishing buildings at the state lodge for Sh265.26 million.

Some Sh52.93 million had been spent by December 31, 2024. Renovation is also happening at the Kisii State Lodge, where the government is spending Sh795.75 million to give the premises a new look.

The new development comes even as it emerged that public officers spent a whopping Sh9.56 billion on local and foreign travel as of December 31, 2024, from Sh3.57 billion spent as of September 2024. This represents an increase of Sh5.99 billion in only three months.

The extravagant spending came months after the nationwide Gen Z protests against, among others, extravagance and wasteful spending of public resources on needless trips.

At the time, the President had visited several countries, including the US, where he made a state visit.

The President had used a private jet – believed to have cost the taxpayers millions of shillings – to fly to the US.

However, the President said the jet was paid for by his friends. “In keeping with my determination for us to live within our means and that I should lead from the front in doing so, the cost was less than travelling on [Kenya Airways],” he had said.

Ruto, particularly, was on the spot as the angry Gen Z hilariously described him as a tourist President. The report shows that State House spent Sh262.22 million on local travel and Sh56.90 million on foreign travel in six months.

The Executive Office of the President used Sh57.83 million on local trips and Sh16.89 million on foreign travel. The office of the Deputy President used Sh102.58 million and Sh5.48 million on local and foreign trips, respectively, during the period under review.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi’s office used Sh10.18 million on local travel and Sh2.19 million on foreign trips.

The State Department of Foreign Affairs used Sh102.67 million and Sh1.48 billion on local and foreign travel respectively.

The State Department of Immigration and Citizen Services used Sh255.84 million on domestic tours and Sh69.71 million on foreign trips.

The State Department of Interior splurged Sh615.46 million on local travel, while the National Police Service used Sh234 million on local travel.

According to the report, senators spent Sh564.48 million on domestic travel and Sh242.97 million on foreign travel in six months.

The National Assembly spent Sh2.13 billion on local tours of the MPs and parliamentary staff and another Sh595.80 million on foreign trips.

Parliamentary Joint Services spent Sh173.95 million and Sh118.66 million on domestic and foreign travel by its officers over the period.

The State Department of Roads spent Sh276 million on domestic travel. There was no data on foreign travel, while that of Lands and Physical Planning spent Sh154.14 million on domestic travel.

The Office of the Auditor General spent Sh569.20 million on local travel and Sh59.45 million on foreign trips. The State Law Office used Sh50.08 million on local travel and Sh30.77 million on foreign travel.

The Judiciary, on the other hand, spent Sh148.85 million on local tours and Sh182.03 million on foreign trips in six months.

The State Department of Public Service used Sh24.03 million and Sh41.51 million on domestic and foreign travels, respectively, over the period.

The National Treasury spent Sh26.15 million on local trips and Sh27.70 million on foreign, with the ICT Ministry spending Sh17.14 million on domestic tours. The report also flagged massive expenditures on hospitality for government officers and their guests.

During the period, the government spent a total of Sh2.09 billion on hospitality. The top spenders were State House (Sh337 million), office of the Deputy President (Sh219.17 million), and State Department of Interior and National Administration (Sh254.55 million).

Others were the State Department of Foreign Affairs (Sh159 million), State Department of Immigration and Citizen Services (Sh132.46), the National Assembly (Sh104.08 million) and the Judiciary (Sh137 million).