Lawmakers have questioned a request by the Office of the Deputy President for additional funding after it appeared before a parliamentary committee to explain why more money is needed for its operations.
The office is seeking an extra Ksh.1.8 billion in a supplementary budget, on top of the Ksh.3 billion that had already been allocated in the last financial year to support its activities.
The request was presented before the National Assembly’s Administration and Internal Security Committee, where Members of Parliament raised concerns about several items listed in the proposed budget.
Some legislators said the increase in certain spending areas required clearer explanations, especially at a time when public spending is under scrutiny.
According to documents presented to the committee, part of the additional funds would go toward air travel, hospitality, events and local travel.
The proposal includes Ksh.100 million for air travel, Ksh.350 million for hospitality and events, and another Ksh.200 million for local travel.
These figures prompted several MPs to demand a detailed breakdown of how the money would be used.
Kisumu West MP Rosa Buyu sought clarification on the hospitality budget, questioning whether the increase was necessary.
She asked, “What specific activities justify this increase in hospitality spending, and could the accounting officer itemize them?”
Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma also raised concerns about staffing costs linked to the request.
He asked for details on the number of employees in the office and their salaries, saying it was important for the committee to understand how the funds would be spent.
“Who are these new employees? What is their number, and what are they being paid?” he posed.
Moses Mbaruku, the Principal Administrative Secretary in the Office of the Deputy President, defended the request while appearing before the committee.
He explained that part of the additional allocation would support operational needs, including transport arrangements involving helicopters.
“On the hiring of choppers, the money that was appropriated was Ksh.150 million, and we are now seeking an additional Ksh.100 million. That is subject to approval by this committee,” he said.
Officials from the Deputy President’s office also told lawmakers that the request had been influenced by outstanding financial obligations from the previous financial year.
According to Mbaruku, a large portion of the earlier allocation was used to settle pending bills that had accumulated.
“We closed the financial year with Ksh.472 million as pending bills, which formed the first charge on our budget. That is why we are requesting additional funds,” said Mbaruku.
The discussion comes after a report from the Controller of Budget suggested that Ksh.44 million had been spent on the Office of the Spouse of the Deputy President, triggering criticism from members of the public.
However, Mbaruku dismissed the claim and said the information had been included in the report by mistake.
“The Controller of Budget erroneously captured that we spent money on the Office of the Spouse of the Deputy President. We do not have such an office because it was scrapped during the 2024/2025 financial year,” he said.
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