Sh310 million budget request to Parliament for Ruto’s EAC job raises eyebrows

Despite a biting fiscal squeeze and mounting domestic pressures, the Kenyan government is seeking Sh310 million to bankroll President William Ruto's rotational chairmanship of the East African Community (EAC).

A supplementary budget document presented to Parliament and seen by The Eastleigh Voice outlines how the funds would be allocated—covering a slate of high-level engagements, including chairmanship meetings, an EAC heads of state summit, a regional infrastructure retreat, publicity campaigns and ministerial retreats.

This comes at a time when Kenya is struggling to deliver essential public services, raising questions about fiscal priorities.

Kenya assumed the EAC chairmanship on a one-year rotational basis and is expected to hand over the seat in November.

But the transition itself broke long-standing protocol.

For the first time since the bloc's revival, the chairmanship did not rotate to the next member state in line—the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Kinshasa declined the post, citing its unreadiness and ongoing tensions with Rwanda and Kenya, and had consistently abstained from EAC meetings.

While EAC activities tied to the official calendar are typically funded by the partner states through the Arusha-based secretariat, the requested Sh310 million raises eyebrows.

Observers question why such a significant sum is being allocated when the secretariat is meant to shoulder much of the financial responsibility.

Moreover, while the chair's country may fund some activities—particularly those outside the secretariat's calendar—the magnitude of the request is seen as excessive, especially with President Ruto's tenure as chair ending in just a few months.

"His term ends in November... the amount is way too high," said a regional insider familiar with EAC procedures.

Traditionally, the Ordinary Summit, which caps the chairmanship year, is co-funded by partner states through the secretariat—not exclusively by the chair's government.

As Kenya wrestles with ballooning debt, delayed salaries, and austerity measures, this proposed allocation for diplomatic posturing—albeit symbolic and regional—has stirred debate on priorities, transparency and the optics of leadership in a season of economic hardship.

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