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Matiang’i advises Ruto: This is how I would spend Ksh17B State House expenditure

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Jubilee deputy party leader Fred Matiang’i has criticised the rising cost of running State House, questioning Kenya’s fiscal priorities amid a surge in public expenditure that has pushed the presidency’s budget to record levels.

Speaking on Thursday, April 30, 2026, in an interview on a local radio station, Matiang’i warned that unchecked wastage and corruption could have severe consequences for the country’s economic stability.

“It is like we borrow money to steal it. If we cannot stem wastage and corruption, Kenya will sink. The other day, top state officials insulted me when I asked why the State House can have a huge budget and allocations compared to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital. There is no maternity or operation ward in the State House. What are you doing with a lot of money?” he asked.

He further challenged the justification of the ballooning State House budget, arguing that national priorities should be anchored on essential public services such as healthcare and education rather than administrative luxury.

“If you give me Ksh17 billion, before we start anything, I will take away Ksh14 billion and allocate Ksh7 billion to health and education, respectively, and the Ksh3 billion I can return at the end of the year.”

Matiang’i’s remarks come at a time when scrutiny over State House expenditure has intensified following revelations from National Treasury documents submitted to the National Assembly by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi.

The documents show that the State House initially requested an additional Ksh2 billion on September 8, 2025, citing operational expenses that were not classified as emergencies.

Subsequent approvals under Article 223 of the Constitution allowed further disbursements aimed at enhancing operations and maintenance at State House, pushing spending significantly higher than earlier projections.

The mid-year adjustments propelled the State House budget above comparable institutions globally, raising questions about fiscal prudence.

For context, the White House in the United States reportedly spends about Ksh12.6 billion, Germany’s presidential office Ksh7 billion, Portugal Ksh2.6 billion, while France’s presidential budget stands at approximately Ksh17.5 billion.

In Africa, Kenya’s State House expenditure has also surpassed that of Nigeria at Ksh3.1 billion, South Africa at Ksh7.8 billion, Algeria at Ksh8.9 billion, and Tanzania at Ksh1.7 billion, fueling debate over whether Kenya’s executive spending is aligned with regional economic realities.

The scale of the increase has been particularly striking. The current allocation of Ksh16.998 billion marks the highest State House budget since 2013.

Of this amount, recurrent expenditure accounts for Ksh16.1 billion, while development spending remains comparatively low at Ksh894.91 million.

Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o had previously raised concerns that State House risks exhausting its budget before the end of the financial year, warning that the trend places additional strain on public finances and raises broader questions about fiscal discipline within government.

Wastage of resources?

National Treasury records also reveal a detailed disbursement schedule showing payments totalling Ksh4.4 billion made between December 2025 and February 2026. The cumulative allocations represent a Ksh3 billion increase from the previous financial year, when the total State House budget stood at Ksh12.07 billion.

In June 2025, Parliament approved a baseline allocation of Ksh8.6 billion for State House, including Ksh7.7 billion for recurrent expenditure and Ksh894.91 million for development. However, by February 2026, the figure had nearly doubled to Ksh16.998 billion, driven largely by operational and recurrent spending increases.

Nyoro jolts Ruto

The former Interior and Education Cabinet Secretary’s utterances come days after Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro condemned the allocation of nearly Ksh17 billion to State House in the 2025/2026 financial year, arguing that such spending is unjustifiable as ordinary Kenyans face rising living costs, unpaid teacher interns, and underfunded essential services.

In a post on March 16, 2026, Nyoro questioned the scale of the allocation, highlighting that the amount could instead confirm 44,000 Junior Secondary School interns into permanent and pensionable terms, providing stability to the education sector.

He emphasised that leadership should prioritise national interests over personal or political gains.

“Instead of wasting that money in political sloganeering, that money is better off funding our education sector or our health sector,” Nyoro said.

He added that even in an election year, campaign funds should come from personal sources rather than taxpayers, and urged leaders to reduce selfishness in governance.

“So that, tukipewa chance ya uongozi tufupishe ubinafsi tafadhali na tuweke kenya mbele, kwa sababu hatutakumbukwa kama viongozi na ile pesa tuli accumulate, lakini na kazi ambayo tulifanyia nchi yetu ya Kenya.” The statement read in part.

Nyoro also urged leaders to put aside personal ambition and selfishness if given the chance to govern, stressing that their legacy will not be measured by the wealth they accumulate but by the tangible work they do for the country.

He called on officials to prioritise Kenya’s interests, reminding them that meaningful contributions to national development, rather than personal gain, define true leadership and leave a lasting impact on citizens-PeopleDaily.digital.

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National Assembly dismisses claims Sacco Bill is being rushed through Parliament

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The National Assembly has dismissed reports that the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is being rushed through Parliament, saying the proposed law is still undergoing public participation.

Through infographics shared on Facebook on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Parliament said misleading information had been circulating online about the Bill, formally known as the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 32 of 2025.

Bill was published in June 2025

The National Assembly said the Bill was published on June 30, 2025, and had remained under consideration for more than 12 months.

It rejected suggestions that lawmakers were fast-tracking the proposed amendments without allowing enough time for scrutiny.

According to Parliament, the lengthy period between the publication of the Bill and its current consideration shows that it is not being rushed.

Bill currently before the National Assembly committee

The Sacco Societies Amendment Bill is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

The committee is conducting public participation and receiving views from members of the public and other stakeholders.

The submissions are expected to help the committee assess the proposed amendments before presenting its recommendations to the National Assembly.

What happens after public participation?

After the public participation process is concluded, the committee will prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations.

Parliament said the views submitted by members of the public and stakeholders could inform further amendments to the Bill.

The proposed legislation will then proceed to the National Assembly for consideration by MPs.

This means the Bill has not yet completed the legislative process and could still be amended based on the submissions received during public participation.

Bill will be forwarded to Senate

The National Assembly also clarified that the Bill will not proceed directly for presidential assent after being passed by MPs.

Because the proposed legislation concerns county governments, it will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration in accordance with the Constitution.

The Senate will be required to consider the Bill before it can complete the parliamentary process and be presented for presidential assent.

Parliament urged members of the public to rely on verified information about the Sacco Societies Amendment Bill instead of unconfirmed reports circulating online-PeopleDaily.Digital.

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Digital house-hunting platform bets on technology to reshape Nairobi’s rental market

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NAIROBI, Kenya, July 14 – A growing shift towards digital property searches is changing how Kenyans find rental homes, with real estate technology platform Reemio positioning itself as a solution to longstanding challenges.

This included fraudulent listings, costly house searches and limited market transparency.

As younger, tech-savvy consumers turn to online platforms to make purchasing decisions, the company says digitizing the rental process could improve efficiency for both tenants and landlords while lowering transaction costs.

“Our niche is to solve the problem of house hunting and also bring trust into that process. We use technology to connect renters and landlords,” said Kimani.

Kimani said the platform seeks to address inefficiencies that have traditionally made house hunting expensive and time-consuming.

Instead of physically visiting multiple properties, users can browse verified listings, take virtual tours, compare amenities and access information on additional costs such as water charges, electricity bills and service fees before scheduling physical viewings.

Beyond improving convenience for tenants, Reemio argues that technology can help landlords reduce marketing costs, shorten vacancy periods and reach a wider pool of prospective tenants, including Kenyans living abroad.

The company says its platform also generates market data that can help property owners and developers better understand evolving consumer preferences, although its long-term impact will depend on wider adoption of digital property platforms and continued investment in trustworthy online real estate marketplaces-Capitalfm.co.ke.

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ORPP edges two parties closer to joining Kenya’s political arena

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The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has issued a notice for the provisional registration of two proposed political parties, opening a seven-day window for members of the public to lodge objections.

In a notice published by the Registrar of Political Parties and Chief Executive Officer J.C. Lorionokou, the ORPP announced that the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) and the People’s Alternative Voice (PAV) are in the process of being provisionally registered under Section 5(2)(a) of the Political Parties Act.

The ORPP, a State office established under Section 33 of the Political Parties Act and Article 260 of the Constitution, said its mandate includes registering and regulating political parties as well as administering the Political Parties Fund.

According to the notice, the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) has adopted pink, white and sky blue as its official party colours, with the slogan “Change – Mageuzi.” The party’s symbol is the acronym SDP enclosed inside a circle.

The party’s listed founder members are Nyangong’ Duncan Nyumbah, Omwandasi Jared Dishon and Kinyua Mary Wacuka.

The founders of PAV are listed as Odenyo John Fitzgerald Elly, Nyando Rachel Mmboga and Ali Hussein Kiplangat.

The Registrar said particulars of the two proposed political parties have been published on the ORPP website to facilitate public scrutiny as required by law.

Any person wishing to oppose the provisional registration of either party has seven days from the date of publication of the notice to submit objections either in writing or in person to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties at Lion Place, Fourth Floor, Waiyaki Way at Karuna Close, Nairobi.

The provisional registration marks the first step in the legal process of establishing a political party in Kenya.

Kenya has 91 fully registered political parties. The ORPP’s updated register indicates that, as of January 2026, there were 91 parties that had met the legal requirements for full registration under the Political Parties Act-STAR.

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