State House has raised concern over a proposed Sh4 billion reduction in its budget for the 2026/2027 financial year, warning that the cuts could interfere with operations, affect planned programmes and slow down service delivery despite an increase in the overall national budget.
State House Comptroller Katoo Ole Metito told the National Assembly Committee on National Administration and Internal Security that the institution was struggling to understand why its allocation had been reduced by Sh4 billion while the country’s overall budget had gone up.
According to Treasury estimates, State House has been allocated Sh13 billion for the next financial year, down from the current Sh17 billion. This comes even as the national budget rises from Sh4.3 trillion to Sh4.8 trillion.
Metito warned lawmakers that the reduced allocation would make it difficult for State House to fully implement its programmes and meet expected targets.
“With the limited resource allocation, we will be affected in our deliverables and hamper our work plan,” Metito told MPs.
“We are seeking a rationalisation of the budget in terms of an additional allocation. If we are able to get an additional Sh billion and only remain with a deficit of Sh2 billion, then we can try to work with that.”
The Comptroller said the figures did not match the growth seen in the national budget and questioned the basis used in cutting State House funding.
“I don’t understand how the national budget has increased yet State House’s budget has decreased. If the National Treasury was to align the allocations with the budgetary increase, then we should have received Sh19.7 billion, which is just shy of our resource requirement,” he said.
The concerns were echoed by members of the committee, with chairperson and Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo faulting the Treasury for reducing the allocation.
“My question goes to the National Treasury don’t you think it would have been fair to at least give them the Sh17 billion they had been allocated as opposed to slashing Sh4 billion,” he posed.
Tongoyo warned that if the issue is not addressed early enough, Parliament could later be forced to approve additional expenditure for State House through Article 223 of the Constitution.
Sotik MP Francis Sigei also defended the request for additional funding, saying State House plays an important national role and should not be subjected to cuts because of public criticism.
“We should not succumb to negative publicity. State House is a national image, and we must give it enough resources for proper functioning,” Sigei said.
During the session, Elgeyo Marakwet Woman Representative Caroline Ng’elechei sought clarification on whether the cuts would affect employees and services offered at State House.
In response, Metito said permanent staff salaries were secure and explained that some reductions under personnel expenditure were linked to the end of contracts for close to 90 workers employed on fixed-term arrangements.
“This financial year ending in about a month marks the expiry of contracts for nearly 90 staff members. Their gratuity, amounting to Sh127 million, had been provided for in the 2025/2026 budget, and that is why the figure does not appear in the next budget cycle,” he said.
He further told MPs that close to 80 per cent of State House employees are serving on contract terms.