Committee Chairpersons, Stakeholders Push for Increased Allocations in 2026 Budget Policy Statement

Members of the National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) have received renewed calls for increased funding in the 2026 Budget Policy Statement (BPS), as departmental committee chairpersons and key stakeholders cited significant resource gaps across critical sectors.

The Committee, chaired by Hon. Samuel Atandi, met in Kiambu County to review submissions on the 2026 BPS, with presenters highlighting disparities between proposed ceilings and actual resource requirements.

Hon. Gabriel Tongoyo, Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security, raised concerns over substantial funding shortfalls affecting the Ministry of Interior and National Administration. He urged the Committee to allocate additional resources to enhance service delivery and address operational constraints.

Hon. Tongoyo also called for the renegotiation of the leasing agreement for the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, warning against further expenditure of public funds on renovations and structural modifications of leased premises.

“No further public funds should be provided for the renovation, partitioning, or structural modification of leased premises occupied by the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary. The National Treasury should cease financing such expenditures and the leasing agreement be renegotiated to ensure any improvements undertaken by the government trigger a corresponding review and reduction of rent or remain the responsibility of the landlord,” he said.

The Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, chaired by Hon. John Mutunga, reported a funding deficit of KES 59.9 billion. While the 2026 BPS proposes an allocation of KES 75.5 billion, the Ministry’s resource requirements stand at KES 135.4 billion.

Hon. Mutunga appealed for increased funding to support prioritized agricultural value chains and advance commitments under the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods. He further proposed transferring the State Department of Irrigation to the Ministry of Agriculture to streamline operations and optimize resources in addressing the ongoing drought crisis.

Meanwhile, Hon. Richard Chonga, Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Labour, highlighted major deficits affecting the State Department of Public Service, the Public Service Commission, the State Department of Labour and Skills Development, and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission. He recommended that the National Treasury halt the approval of new projects in the 2026/27 financial year until all ongoing projects are completed and instead prioritize funding for critical mandates and functions.

Hon. FCPA Kuria Kimani, Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning, proposed increasing the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) allocation from the proposed KES 58.8 billion to at least KES 61.8 billion. He noted that the current proposal falls short of the statutory minimum of 2.5 percent of the National Government’s share of revenue as required under the NG-CDF Act, 2015.

“The current proposed funding falls short of the statutory allocation of KES 3.0 billion and risks disrupting projects, bursary programmes and constituency-level development initiatives,” he stated.

Hon. Kimani also sought approval of additional budget ceilings, including KES 132 billion for the National Treasury, KES 510 million for the Commission on Revenue Allocation, KES 4 billion for the State Department for Public Investments and Asset Management, and KES 913 million for the Office of the Controller of Budget.

The Committee further received submissions from stakeholders including the Institute of Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), Inter-Governmental Relations Technical Committee (IGTRC), Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC), and Bajeti Hub.

The IGTRC emphasized that the criteria for vertical revenue sharing must ensure County Governments are adequately resourced to effectively discharge their constitutional functions. ICPAK called for the full operationalization of the 2026 Medium-Term Debt Strategy through coordinated implementation by the National Treasury, the Central Bank, and other agencies, while stressing adherence to borrowing ceilings and continuous risk monitoring.

Representatives from IBEC, led by Dr. Gabriel Lagat, urged Parliament to adjust allocations to County Governments in line with projected revenue growth. Bajeti Hub underscored the need for gender and equity assessments within the 2026 BPS, particularly in light of the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda, to ensure inclusive and equitable policy implementation.

The Budget and Appropriations Committee is expected to engage the National Treasury and Economic Planning, alongside the Parliamentary Service Commission, before finalizing and tabling its report on the 2026 Budget Policy Statement in the National Assembly for consideration.