Public investments PS Odede seeks Sh5.099bn boost, says office has no vehicles

Public Investments and asset management, PS Cyrell Odede, when he appeared before the  Finance and National Planning Committee/JACKTONE LAWI

The state department for Public Investments and asset management is seeking an addition of at least Sh5.099 billion from the national treasury, among other things, to buy a car for the Principal Secretary.

This follows a transfer of functions to the state department without a corresponding transfer of assets.

Appearing before a Finance and National Planning committee, PS Cyrell Odede said the extra funding was needed to bridge a budget shortfall in the 2026–2027 financial year, including getting him a car.

The funds are also meant to support core programmes such as public investment management, pensions oversight and government asset administration.

However, details of the request revealed plans to purchase motor vehicles for the department, with the Principal Secretary telling MPs the office had no official vehicle, and he had been forced to borrow one from a director or use ride-hailing services to commute.

“You can see we are asking for the acquisition of motor vehicles for the State Department. Honourable Chair, we inherited the Department with human resources, and the seats are there, but we don't have vehicles. Even I don't have a vehicle,” Odede told lawmakers while defending the allocation request.

“So, I snatched one from one of the directors and called him. I don't know how it was, I think he was calling me on the road. I have had to take an Uber coming to the office.”

The department currently has a total budget of about Sh3.9 billion for the 2025–2026 financial year, but says its needs are significantly higher, citing operational demands as a newly created department that did not inherit assets.

The PS reported an overall absorption rate of 35.7 per cent by December 2025, blaming delays in disbursements from the National Treasury and low collection of agency revenues.

Beyond vehicle purchases, the requested funds would also go toward recruitment, operational costs and capital projects, including integration of pension management systems and rollout of e-procurement platforms across government.

The State Department said its mandate includes managing public investments, supervising pensions and retirement benefits, and ensuring efficient use of government assets.