How Uhuru, Raila and Kalonzo budgets will be slashed

The budget cuts will also affect former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, whose benefits are set to drop from Sh87.2 million to Sh63.27 million.

If Members of Parliament approve the 2025/26 financial year estimates tabled in the National Assembly, the perks for former vice presidents Kalonzo Musyoka and Moody Awori will be reduced as well.

The National Treasury has made these adjustments as part of the government’s broader efforts to rationalise expenditures in the upcoming fiscal period.

According to the budget estimates, Uhuru’s allocation will be reduced from Sh371.46 million to Sh276.85 million. The heaviest reductions will affect foreign travel, insurance, local trips, fuel, and hospitality.

“Treasury proposes to cut Kenyatta’s foreign travel budget by Sh46.5 million, insurance by Sh23 million, domestic travel by Sh11 million, fuel by Sh7.5 million, and hospitality by Sh6 million,” the 2025/26 budget estimates read.

By law, the government provides retired presidents, prime ministers, and vice presidents with monthly allocations to run their offices, pay staff, fuel and maintain official vehicles, cover travel expenses, and cater for entertainment.

These perks are in addition to monthly pensions pegged at 80 per cent of the salaries they earned while in office.

For example, the budget estimates show that Uhuru will receive a pension of Sh16,776,150 in the upcoming financial year.

Raila, who served as Prime Minister between 2008 and 2013, will see his office perks reduced by Sh23.9 million, largely due to cuts in insurance (Sh20 million), domestic travel (from Sh2.4 million to Sh1.8 million), and hospitality (from Sh2 million to Sh1.53 million).

Kalonzo, who was Kenya’s vice president between 2008 and 2013, will see his allocation reduced by Sh28.4 million — from Sh81.36 million to Sh52.9 million.

Insurance will bear the largest cut of Sh20 million, while domestic travel funding will decrease from Sh3.25 million to Sh2.06 million.

Awori, the country’s vice president from 2002 to 2007, will face a cut of Sh20.28 million, reducing his allocation from Sh74.2 million to Sh53.9 million. With the latest adjustments, Awori’s benefits will surpass Kalonzo’s.

Overall, the Treasury is proposing to slash a total of Sh167.2 million from the four offices, with cuts to Uhuru’s benefits accounting for 56.6 per cent of the total reduction.

Under current law, former presidents are entitled to an extensive support staff of up to 34, including two personal assistants, four secretaries, four messengers, four drivers, and bodyguards.

They also receive four vehicles — including two limousines that are replaced every four years — along with fully furnished offices and comprehensive medical cover.