The National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee has raised fresh concerns over the ability of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to effectively utilise increased allocations proposed under the Supplementary Estimates No. 1 for the 2025/26 financial year.
The committee, chaired by Samuel Atandi, warned that persistently low absorption rates—particularly in development expenditure—continue to derail implementation of key government projects, leaving several initiatives stalled.
The concerns emerged during a meeting with chairpersons of various departmental committees, who appeared before the panel to present and defend budget proposals for institutions under their oversight.
Despite the committee’s reservations, the departmental chairpersons expressed confidence that MDAs would absorb the additional funds within the remaining period of the financial year.
They also used the session to push for increased allocations to bridge existing funding gaps in their sectors.
The supplementary budget proposes an increase of Sh316.7 billion, raising the total national budget from Sh4.3 trillion to Sh4.6 trillion. Of this, the national government’s expenditure will grow by Sh287.4 billion, while Consolidated Fund Services will rise by Sh29.3 billion.
Documents tabled before the committee indicate that most MDAs stand to benefit from the revised estimates. However, some sectors face budget cuts, including the State Department for Housing and Urban Development, which will lose Sh816 million.
Other affected institutions include the Commission on Administrative Justice, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund, which has been reduced by Sh2 billion.
Among those who appeared before the committee were John Kanyuthia Mutunga (Agriculture), Rindikiri Mugambi (Housing), Nelson Koech (Defence and Foreign Relations), Alice Ng’ang’a (Social Protection), James Nyikal (Health), George Murugara (Justice and Legal Affairs) and Ken Chonga (Labour).
The committee is expected to continue receiving submissions from other departmental committees on Tuesday as scrutiny of the supplementary budget intensifies.
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