Government refutes denying Uhuru's office its budget

A side by side photo of Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura and former State House spokesperson Kanze Dena. [The Standard]

The government has distanced itself from claims that the office of retired president Uhuru Kenyatta was denied a budget for two consecutive financial years.

This follows claims by former State House spokesperson Kanze Dena that Kenyatta's office had a pending budget of approximately Sh1 billion owed from both the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years.

Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, in a rebuttal, stated; "The retired President's budget is under the State House Comptroller, who is the accounting officer of the State House, including the Office of the Third Retired President. The Comptroller originates the budget and defends it in Parliament. There was therefore no compelling obligation to seek concurrence on the budget with the Office of the Retired President."

Additionally, Mwaura dismissed claims that Kenyatta's staff had not received their salaries and allowances for the last two years.

"The Office of the former President confirms that their staff are on the government payroll. The Presidential Retirement Benefits Act specifies that a former President should have 34 staff. Already, 33 are in office. The Act also specifies that staff who work in the Office of the Retired President must be public servants," Mwaura said in a statement.

"On George Kariuki and Kanze Dena, their names have not been forwarded to the State House Comptroller by the retired President for processing," he said.

Mwaura also dismissed claims that the former president had been fuelling his vehicles from pocket. He stated that the vehicles were maintained and fuelled by the government.

Dena had earlier stated that fuel cards issued by the government had been cancelled in March 2023. 

"They also alleged falsely that their fuel cards have been blocked. We, however, put it on record that the vehicles are fuelled through State House. Our records show that several vehicles were fueled as recently as May 15, 2024," said Mwaura.