The government has defended its handling of renovation works in Kenyan embassies abroad after a report by the Controller of Budget showed no spending on several projects in the first half of the 2025–26 financial year, despite millions having been set aside.
According to the report by Margaret Nyakang’o, no funds were used between July and December 2025 on renovations across at least eight foreign missions, even though Sh345 million had been allocated. The findings were detailed in the National Government Budget Implementation Review Report covering the first six months of the financial year.
The review listed missions in Kinshasa, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Beijing, Abuja, Islamabad, Kampala and Harare among those that did not record any financial activity during the period.
Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing’oei rejected the report, saying it does not reflect the actual status of the projects. He said the nature of renovation works outside the country means progress may not always be seen through immediate spending.
“Renovation works, especially those undertaken in foreign jurisdictions, require extensive preparatory work before execution,” Sing’oei said.
He noted that early stages of such projects involve technical reviews and condition assessments, which take time and may not show up as expenditure within the reporting period.
The report singled out the Kinshasa embassy, which was vandalised during protests in January last year. The project is expected to cost Sh600 million, with Sh120 million allocated for the period under review, but only five per cent of the work has been completed and no spending was recorded by December 31, 2025.
In Addis Ababa, a project valued at Sh500 million had Sh150 million set aside, yet no funds were spent, even though work that began in July 2019 is now 13 per cent complete.
Renovation efforts in Dar es Salaam, including fencing in Dodoma, also showed no use of allocated Sh5 million, with progress standing at 21 per cent.
Other works in Kampala and Harare, each costing Sh20 million, as well as chancery renovations in Abuja and upgrades in Beijing, similarly showed no financial movement during the six-month period.
Even projects nearing completion did not record fresh spending, including Islamabad at 70 per cent, and both Beijing and Abuja at 67 per cent, raising fresh concerns over delays and use of development funds.
These concerns mirror earlier observations by Nancy Gathungu, who has repeatedly pointed out the poor condition of Kenya’s missions abroad. Audit findings have highlighted issues such as leaking roofs, cracked walls, peeling paint and stalled works in several embassies.
In Abuja, reports flagged leaks in the chancery, residence and staff houses. In Tanzania, the renovation of staff houses in Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, has remained incomplete since 2020.
Other missions in France, Germany and China have also faced similar challenges, with some still operating from rented spaces despite the government owning buildings in those cities.
While the ministry insists the projects are progressing through planning stages, the lack of visible spending has continued to draw attention to how public funds are being used and whether the works will be completed on time.
