Karua slams budget priorities, says health and education are paying the price

Political Leaders Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has launched a sharp attack on the government's spending priorities, accusing it of diverting resources away from critical sectors such as health and education while continuing to fund travel, hospitality, and other executive expenses.

Speaking during a media interview on Wednesday, Karua said the country's budget reflects misplaced priorities at a time when many Kenyans are struggling with the rising cost of living and pressure on public services. She argued that funds meant to support millions of citizens are being overshadowed by spending that does little to improve people's daily lives.

“Defunding health and education while increasing the State House budget is a clear case of misplaced priorities. Essential services that benefit millions are being sacrificed, while government travel, luxury expenses, and other non-essential expenditures remain largely protected,” she outlined.

Karua also questioned the level of expenditure associated with official travel by senior government officials, saying the current approach places an unnecessary burden on public finances.

“Today, many senior government officials are constantly traveling both locally and abroad. Whenever the President travels, numerous ministers and government vehicles accompany him. This results in unnecessary expenditure at a time when public resources should be used more prudently and directed toward the needs of citizens,” she stated.

Her remarks come as Kenya implements the 2025/26 national budget of about Sh4.2 trillion. Education received the largest allocation at roughly Sh702.7 billion, while health continues to receive a smaller share. At the same time, State House recurrent expenditure has already exceeded its allocation, driven largely by travel, hospitality, and administrative costs.

In the 2024/25 supplementary budget, total government expenditure was reduced to about Sh3.84 trillion as the country faced growing fiscal pressure. Although education and health remain listed among key priorities, debt servicing and infrastructure continue to account for a large portion of actual spending.

State House recurrent expenditure reached Sh10.4 billion early in the 2025/26 financial year, surpassing its full-year allocation and drawing renewed attention to executive spending at a time when the government is advocating austerity measures.

Karua said the government could save money by avoiding frequent replacement of official vehicles, noting that older cars can still serve their purpose effectively.

“I personally use vehicles that are more than 10 years old, and they are perfectly functional. There is no need for the government to purchase new vehicles every year or so, especially when many ministers do not travel extensively,” she noted.

Beyond budget allocations, Karua criticised the manner in which public participation is conducted, particularly in relation to the Finance Bill. She argued that citizens are often denied a genuine opportunity to influence government decisions.

“Kenyans are rarely given a genuine opportunity to participate in public participation forums. Instead, a select group is invited, making it easy to manipulate the process by choosing people who will say what officials want to hear,” she said.

According to Karua, such practices weaken constitutional principles and create the impression that public support exists even when many citizens have not been adequately consulted.

Public participation on the Finance Bill 2026 was carried out between May 11 and May 25, 2026, under the National Assembly Finance and National Planning Committee. Public hearings took place in several counties, including Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Kisumu, Nakuru and Machakos, while members of the public and stakeholders were also allowed to submit views virtually.

The exercise attracted participation from civil society organisations, private sector representatives, youth groups and government agencies, with hundreds of memoranda submitted across the country. Parliament maintained that the process met the requirements of Article 118 of the Constitution and was intended to collect proposals, objections and recommendations before the committee prepared its report.

Despite those assurances, critics raised concerns over limited timelines, the technical nature of some proposals and uneven participation across counties. Questions were also raised about whether the process allowed for meaningful engagement, particularly in rural areas where turnout was lower than in major urban centres.

Karua further warned that the proposed Finance Bill 2026/27 contains measures that many Kenyans had previously opposed, arguing that the proposals risk placing additional pressure on households and businesses.

“The Finance Bill 2026/27 is a replica of the 2024 Finance Bill. It contains the same punitive measures that Kenyans rejected and threatens to impose the same economic hardships on citizens and businesses,” she said.

She singled out taxes targeting the digital economy, mobile money services and diaspora remittances, saying the measures would hurt ordinary citizens, young people and investors.

“Taxing the digital space is actually raiding an area that supports our unemployed youth. It is also taxing your mother when you send her a little money for Unga. It is punishing the diaspora who choose to invest in Kenya,” she expressed.

Karua argued that taxes imposed on service providers are often transferred to consumers through higher costs, further increasing the economic burden on households.

She also questioned the credibility of consultation processes surrounding major policy decisions, claiming that people with opposing views are frequently left out or discouraged from participating.

Karua concluded by warning that the government risks repeating mistakes that previously sparked public opposition, saying policies rejected by citizens are now being reintroduced despite widespread concerns.