Head of Public Service appeals for additional Sh651 funding for Office of President

The Executive Office of the President is requesting an extra Sh651 million to address financial gaps in staff salaries, national security operations and pending bills.

Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei told the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security on Thursday that the office is struggling due to underfunding across all programmes.

“In the financial year 2024/25 Supplementary II Estimates, the Executive Office of the President has proposed an additional allocation of Sh651.68 million, with Sh601.68 million under recurrent expenditure and Sh50 million for development,” Koskei told the MPs.

The Chief of Staff explained that part of the funding – Sh70.65 million – would go toward government printing services to settle outstanding allowances and ensure continuous production of supplies.

Another Sh498 million has been earmarked for multi-agency strategic interventions, personnel emoluments, and support for the Office of the Government Spokesperson.

The office is also seeking Sh105 million to reaffirm Kenya’s international boundaries and support the operations of the National Lottery Board.

Budget cut

Koskei said a 100 per cent budget cut had affected key projects, including the modernisation of the Government Printer and refurbishment of various government buildings such as Harambee House.

“The proposed additional funding of Sh661.69 million will help the office address personnel emolument shortfalls, reaffirm Kenya’s international boundary, fund National Security Council operations, and settle pending bills,” he stated.

A grant allocation of Sh50 million from the European Development Fund is also included in the budget to strengthen the National Counter Terrorism Centre’s capacity to implement Kenya’s strategy against violent extremism.

The Chief of Staff further noted that pending bills worth Sh382.29 million remain unsettled, requiring urgent funding.

Additionally, Sh213.59 million is needed to finalise allowances for various government task forces and commissions.

The office is also seeking Sh100 million to bridge the funding gap for the National Tree Growing Initiative, which aims to plant 50 million trees annually.

Koskei also highlighted the need for Sh200 million to replace an ageing fleet of government vehicles, stating that maintenance costs for the current fleet were unsustainable.

Another Sh70 million is required for the Directorate of National Cohesion to prepare the annual presidential report on National Values and Principles of Governance, as mandated by the Constitution.

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“The office has various key unfunded priority areas with a total budget requirement of Sh3.048 billion. We request this honourable committee to consider allocating additional funding to address these critical areas,” Koskei urged.