State House facelift jumps from Sh50 million to Sh2.6 billion in new budget plan

A publication by the Daily Nation media group on Thursday, June 5, 2025, has revealed that President William Ruto has set aside a massive amount of money for the renovation of State House and other State lodges in the proposed 2025/26 national budget.

According to the report, the renovation budget has now jumped from just Sh50 million to a shocking Sh2.6 billion. This increase has raised serious concern among Kenyans, especially since the Nairobi State House has already undergone major upgrades since Ruto became president.

What’s surprising is that the president had already allocated Sh195 million for renovations in the 2024/25 budget, and even that amount was revised upwards to Sh600 million in a mini-budget.

Now, the proposed jump to Sh2.6 billion is being questioned by many. The report didn’t go into the details of which specific lodges or what kind of work is planned, but the sharp increase is difficult to ignore.

Economic experts and members of the public are beginning to view this as an attempt to misuse taxpayer money, especially at a time when the country is facing serious financial difficulties.

Many Kenyans are already struggling with high living costs, increased taxes, and shrinking incomes. So seeing billions being set aside for renovations at the top office, with no clear explanation, feels like a slap in the face. People want answers.

They want to know what exactly is being fixed, why it costs so much, and whether this is really necessary when basic services like healthcare and education are still underfunded in many parts of the country.

The feeling among many is that this kind of spending shows that the government may be disconnected from the daily struggles of ordinary citizens. Experts have warned that without clear justification, the move may end up looking like an organized effort to drain public funds under the cover of official government projects.

It’s not just about the numbers it’s about the message it sends. When billions are being used on buildings and not on people, it becomes hard to believe that public interest is the priority.