Let's be fair and allow Prezzo Ruto to build just one more State lodge

The National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, during a media engagement on the Finance Bill 2026. [Benard Orwongo, Standard

Let’s be fair and allow Prezzo Ruto to build just one more State lodge

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi read the national Budget yesterday, and it runs into nearly five trillion shillings, one and a half of which will be stolen. That’s not my assessment, but that of the government. One-third of the nation’s revenue will be stolen, as it’s always been.

But that’s not my problem. Since we have accepted the theft of public resources as a way of life, and Kenyans have joined the stealing jamboree, we shouldn’t complain about sealing those gaping holes; we should focus on collecting more revenue. And the portions of theft will grow in equal measure.

In this generosity of spirit, I believe that Prezzo Bill Ruto should be granted his wish to build a State lodge in Imenti, Meru. I hear his intent is mainly to be in proximity to Mount Kenya for some unstated reason.

In any case, he has spent his time building for others, from the State House church to renovating the State House, besides the dozens of projects under Affordable, alternately known as Avoidable Housing.

As for those worried about the resultant decimation of indigenous forest cover in Imenti, they should be appeased by Prezzo Ruto’s enormous efforts in planting a billion new trees, at least on paper.

If Mbadi can verify that the trees to exist on paper, then he should devote a good chunk of his budget for the construction of the new lodge. Who knows, the Imenti abode might ground Prezzo Ruto’s wanderlust, before it loses its allure. Right now, he’s burning a lot more fuel flying around Europe in 14 days.