By Fridah Mbuvi, June 11, 2026
State House spent an estimated Sh4.5 billion in unapproved, extra-budgetary expenditure between July 2025 and March 2026, making it the highest recorded case of unplanned government spending during the period.
The figures are contained in the latest Controller of Budget (CoB) national budget implementation review, which highlights widespread deviation from austerity directives at a time when the government was grappling with a tightening fiscal position.
Breakdown of State House Spending
According to the report, State House spending on travel was heavily skewed toward foreign trips compared to domestic engagements.
Foreign travel accounted for Sh1.3 billion, covering international visits and presidential delegations abroad, while domestic travel stood at Sh69 million.
These expenditures contributed to the broader Sh17.3 billion national government travel bill recorded within the same nine-month period.
Unapproved Expenditure Concerns
The CoB report further indicates that the Sh4.5 billion in additional spending was executed through emergency provisions under Article 223 of the Constitution, which allows government entities to spend outside approved budgets in urgent circumstances, subject to later parliamentary approval.
However, the Controller of Budget has raised concerns over the classification of such spending, noting that routine activities such as travel and hospitality do not meet the threshold of unforeseeable emergencies.
Economic and Fiscal Impact
The report warns that continued reliance on unplanned expenditure is worsening Kenya’s fiscal deficit, currently estimated at around Sh1.2 trillion.
Analysts also note that increased foreign travel spending places additional pressure on foreign exchange reserves, indirectly affecting the stability of the shilling.
At the same time, concerns have been raised that such spending patterns may be diverting resources away from county governments and essential public services, as delayed disbursements continue to affect development projects across the country.
