Budget Committee increases National government funding to Ksh 2.54 trillion

Summary

The Kenyan National Assembly's Budget and Appropriations Committee has proposed amendments to the 2025-2026 national budget, increasing it by 33 billion shillings. Key changes include a 150 million shilling allocation for the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to track social media users and significant boosts to police and defense budgets. However, some areas face cuts, including a 400 million shilling reduction for the National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya. Education sectors, such as university and secondary education, are also facing substantial funding cuts. The revised budget is set to be debated in the National Assembly, shaping the national budget for the coming year.

Takeaways

• 😀 The National Assembly's budget and appropriations committee has proposed increasing the national government's expenditure to 2.54 trillion shillings.
• 😀 150 million shillings have been earmarked for the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to procure a system to track social media users.
• 😀 The National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya has been defunded by 400 million shillings, impacting its budget.
• 😀 The National Police Service is proposed to receive an additional 1.8 billion shillings for recurrent expenditure, with the Inspector General's office gaining 800 million shillings more for operations.
• 😀 A new system, Optimus 3.0, is being funded with 150 million shillings to track social media users and analyze data across platforms.
• 😀 The executive office of the president's budget is increased by 5.37 billion shillings, while 550 million shillings have been cut from the development plan.
• 😀 A 400 million shilling cut in capital transfers to the National Fund for the Disabled is part of the new budget allocation changes.
• 😀 The office of the Deputy President receives an additional 150 million shillings for operational expenses, bringing the total to 3.07 billion shillings.
• 😀 The Ministry of Defense gets a historic increase of 13 billion shillings, including 2 billion for recruitment and 5 billion for KDF operations in Somalia.
• 😀 Several sectors, including education, will face cuts: the Teacher Service Commission loses 570 million shillings, while secondary education faces a 4 billion shilling reduction.

Q & A

What is the total increase in the national government's budget for the financial year 2025-2026?

The national government's budget has been increased by 33 billion shillings for the financial year 2025-2026.

How much is allocated to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for procuring and servicing the Optimus 3.0 system?

A total of 150 million shillings has been earmarked for the DCI to procure and service the Optimus 3.0 system.

What is the main purpose of the Optimus 3.0 system?

The Optimus 3.0 system is designed to track social media users, fetching identities of users across platforms and establishing details such as who is posting, where, and using which gadgets.

What are some of the institutions that have been defunded in the proposed budget?

The National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya has been defunded by 400 million shillings, affecting their capital transfers.

How has the National Police Service's budget been adjusted in the new proposal?

The National Police Service is set to receive an additional 1.8 billion shillings to cover recurrent expenditure, with specific allocations for police operations and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

What impact does the proposed budget have on education funding?

The education sector is facing cuts, including a reduction of 570 million shillings for the Teacher Service Commission, 920 million shillings for university education, and a combined 4 billion shilling cut for secondary and junior schools.

Which department has seen the largest budget increase, and how much is it?

The Ministry of Defense has seen the largest budget increase, with a 13 billion shilling rise, bringing the total to 213 billion shillings.

What are the primary areas receiving increased funding within the Ministry of Defense's budget?

The Ministry of Defense's budget increase includes 2 billion shillings for recruitment, 5 billion shillings for operations in Somalia, and 6 billion shillings for other security operations.

How is the Executive Office of the President affected by the budget changes?

The Executive Office of the President’s budget estimates have been increased by 5.37 billion shillings, with a 455 million shilling rise in recurrent expenditure.

What specific cuts were made from the National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya?

The National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya has faced a 400 million shilling cut in capital transfers, which has affected its development expenditure.