Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto's administration of using a Sh6.2 billion supplementary budget allocation to finance political activities ahead of key electoral contests, escalating an already bitter fallout between the former allies.
In a statement on Wednesday, Mr Gachagua alleged that billions of shillings approved through supplementary estimates shortly before the close of the 2024/25 financial year were earmarked for activities unrelated to public service delivery.
The former deputy president claimed the funds were being channelled through State House, the Office of the Deputy President, the State Department for Internal Security and the National Intelligence Service under expenditure votes classified as operations, maintenance and security activities.
"Just 13 days to the closure of the financial year 2024/25, they are stealing a whopping Ksh6.2 billion through a supplementary budget in votes that are not audited," Mr Gachagua said.
He further alleged that the money would be used to influence political processes, including by-elections and support programmes designed to bolster the government's political standing.
The allegations come at a time when the Kenya Kwanza administration is facing mounting criticism over the state of the economy, public debt, healthcare funding and delays in capitation to schools.
Mr Gachagua linked the supplementary allocation to what he described as misplaced priorities in government spending, arguing that critical sectors continue to face funding challenges.
"This is happening when hospitals have no drugs, cancer patients are in deep pain, our students have no capitation, university and college students have no funding," he said.
Supplementary budgets under scrutiny
Supplementary budgets are routinely used by governments to adjust expenditure plans during a financial year to cater for emerging priorities, unforeseen expenses or changes in revenue projections.
However, they have often attracted scrutiny from opposition leaders and public finance watchdogs, who argue that late-year allocations can make oversight more difficult and create opportunities for misuse of public resources.
The latest claims are likely to intensify debate over government expenditure as Parliament continues examining budget allocations ahead of the start of the 2025/26 financial year on July 1.
Mr Gachagua's remarks also signal his intention to sustain pressure on President Ruto's administration by linking fiscal decisions to broader concerns over governance and accountability.
Deepening political rift
The former deputy president has in recent months emerged as one of the fiercest critics of the government he helped bring to power in the 2022 General Election.
His criticism has ranged from economic policy and taxation to alleged misuse of state institutions and public resources.
The latest attack comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 General Election, with Mr Gachagua positioning himself as a leading voice in the opposition against President Ruto's re-election bid.
The government has previously defended supplementary budget allocations as lawful instruments for addressing funding gaps and implementing priority programmes approved through Parliament.
By Wednesday evening, there had been no immediate official response to Mr Gachagua's specific allegations regarding the Sh6.2 billion allocation.
The claims are nonetheless expected to fuel fresh debate over transparency in public spending and the management of state resources at a time when many Kenyans continue to grapple with high living costs and economic uncertainty.
This version follows a Nation-style approach: a strong news angle, attribution of allegations, context on supplementary budgets, political significance, and balanced language rather than stating accusations as facts.
