ADVERT 
A storm is brewing over the proposed State House budget after top officials warned that a Sh4.3 billion cut could cripple key operations at the seat of power ahead of the 2026/27 financial year.
The budget estimates tabled before Parliament indicate that State House has been allocated Sh13.6 billion for recurrent and development expenditure, down from the current Sh17 billion allocation — a sharp reduction that officials now say threatens the smooth running of government functions.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Administration and Internal Security Committee, State House Comptroller Katoo Ole Metito raised alarm over the cuts, arguing that the presidency requires an additional Sh5 billion to effectively execute its mandate.
The officials told lawmakers that the proposed allocation falls far below operational demands tied to presidential functions, security coordination, hospitality, foreign engagements and infrastructure maintenance at State House and affiliated residences.
The budget battle now places Parliament at the centre of a politically sensitive debate over government spending priorities at a time when the Kenya Kwanza administration is under pressure to tame public expenditure and reduce the fiscal deficit.
The proposed cuts come amid growing scrutiny over State House spending, with critics questioning rising expenditure in the executive while ordinary Kenyans grapple with the high cost of living, heavy taxation and shrinking household incomes.
However, State House officials defended the request, insisting that the presidency remains a critical institution whose operations directly affect governance, diplomacy and national stability.
Lawmakers on the committee are expected to interrogate the estimates further before the National Assembly debates and approves the final budget for the next financial year.
The latest budget standoff is likely to reignite public debate over austerity measures and whether top government offices should also bear the burden of spending cuts being imposed across ministries and state agencies.