Kenyan diplomatic missions in London and New York gobbled the biggest portion of Kenya’s diplomatic property budget, with each receiving Sh550 million for acquisition and renovation projects, data from the Controller of Budget (CoB) shows.
According to the report, the two missions accounted for more than 60 per cent of the Sh1.78 billion spent by the State Department for Foreign Affairs on diplomatic properties during the first nine months of the 2025/26 financial year.
The expenditure was part of the government’s plan to acquire, renovate and rehabilitate its properties abroad as it continues to improve diplomatic facilities and staff residences in key foreign missions.
The biggest allocation went towards the purchase of a chancery in London, which received Sh550 million, while a similar amount was spent on the purchase and renovation of the ambassador’s residence in New York.
Other major projects funded during the period included the renovation of government-owned properties in Addis Ababa at Sh150 million, Lusaka at Sh120 million and Kinshasa at Sh120 million.
The State Department for Foreign Affairs also allocated funds for repairs and refurbishment works in Washington DC, Paris, Pretoria, Mogadishu, London, Beijing, Islamabad and several East African capitals.
The CoB report shows that the projects are fully funded by the Exchequer and are part of efforts to modernise Kenya’s diplomatic infrastructure and reduce dependence on leased premises.
However, despite the spending, some projects recorded slow progress and had not reached completion within their expected timelines.
CoB Margaret Nyakang’o said renovation works on government-owned properties in Lusaka and Kinshasa were only 25 per cent complete by the end of March 2026, despite being scheduled for completion in June 2026.
Projects in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma had reached 23 per cent completion, while renovation works in Addis Ababa stood at 43 per cent.
“While several projects had been completed or were nearing completion, a number were experiencing delays, particularly those that had surpassed or were close to their completion timelines but remained incomplete,” the CoB said.
The budget watchdog found that completion rates for the projects ranged between 23 per cent and 133 per cent.
In Abuja, renovation works at Kenya’s chancery went beyond the original project scope, resulting in a completion rate of 133 per cent. The CoB attributed the increase to additional rehabilitation works required to fix a leaking roof.
As the government seeks ways to reduce pressure on public funds, Kenya is planning to upgrade diplomatic missions in six African countries through a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement.
The State has started recruiting a transaction adviser who will conduct feasibility studies to determine suitable financing models and establish rental income levels for the projects.
Under the proposed arrangement, private investors will construct, rehabilitate and maintain diplomatic properties in Cairo, Lusaka, Harare, Bujumbura, Juba and Kinshasa.
The projects will include purpose-built chanceries, consular halls, ambassadorial residences and staff housing units.
The six properties will become the first diplomatic missions to be constructed or renovated through PPP financing, allowing Kenya to upgrade ageing facilities without placing additional pressure on the Exchequer.
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