Gachagua: Why I need Sh2.6b for luxury

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has come out to explain why his office has requested Sh2.6 billion for luxury.

Some Sh300 million will be used to renovate Gachagua’s Harambee Annex Office and the Karen and Mombasa residences, said his spokesperson Njeri Rugene, adding that the buildings had been neglected for the past 15 years.

Regarding the Sh100 million the DP says he needs to buy new vehicles, he said his office is using old vehicles that are expensive to maintain.

“The Harambee House Annex Office and Mombasa Residence have been neglected over the last 15 years affecting critical areas of habitability, safety and security,” read the statement.

It added: “For the last 10 years, the Office of The Deputy President has heavily relied on old, and refurbished vehicles which are costly to maintain, compromising service delivery.”

When Patrick Mwangi, the principal administrative secretary in the office of the DP, presented the proposals to the National Assembly’s Committee on Administration and Internal Security, lawmakers questioned the proposed expenditures, calling them expensive in the context of Kenya’s budget constraints.

The other expenses include implementing an alcohol, drugs and substance abuse programme (Sh250 million), buying medals, honours and insignia (Sh250 million), and purchasing motor vehicles (Sh200 million).

The committee, chaired by Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo, was scrutinising the budget estimates for the 2024-2025 financial year. Tongoyo sought more details about the Sh460.4 million meant for renovations at the DP’s office.

“I know we have a few issues there like lifts not working, but this figure is too big yet the building is only ten years old,” he said.

But in his submissions to the committee, Mwangi explained that the offices needed to be refurbished because they are old.

“The continuous lack of maintenance has necessitated a facelift targeting major functional areas and security systems of the building,” Mwangi said.

He added: “In the financial year 2024/2025 annual estimates, the office has an allocation of Sh300.4 million under the development vote.”

Other notable proposed expenditures in the DP’s office include Sh247.7 million for catering services (receptions), accommodation, gifts, food and drinks; Sh301.5 million for boards, committees, conferences and seminars; and Sh2 million for purchase of staff uniforms and clothing for trainees.

On the Sh250 million meant to buy medals, honours and insignia, Mwangi was pressed to explain why the office was spending such a large sum of money at a time Kenyans are suffering because of a difficult economy.

Posed Tongoyo: “Are we not becoming extravagant when you know the situation of this country?”

Mwangi responded that they had not issued awards for some time and the numbers of designated recipients keep increasing. He also explained that the move followed Executive Order No. 2 of 2023 on reorganising the government’s mandate at the Office of DP to coordinate the conferment of medals and awards through the national and National and County Government Advisory Committee (NCGAC) in line with the National Honours Act, 2023.

The budget also includes costs for air, bus and railway travel (Sh163.8 million) and mileage allowances (Sh171.8 million); accommodation for domestic travel (Sh91.7 million); sundry items such as airport tax and taxis (Sh5.7 million); domestic travel and subsistence and other transportation costs (Sh343.6 million).

Others are accommodation (Sh93.8 million); state visits abroad (Sh15 million); foreign travel and subsistence and other transportation costs (Sh287.6 million); hiring transport (Sh78.1 million); travel allowances (Sh47 million); book allowances (Sh1.6 million); and tuition fees (Sh13.5 million).

Of the Sh250 million allocated for the campaign against substance abuse, documents show that the money was withdrawn under Article 223, which allows the government to spend money outside the budget but then ask Parliament later to regularise the spending.