MP Njeri Maina questions State House spending amid Education funding crisis

Speaking on Friday in Kirinyaga County, Njeri claimed that State House expenditure has reached Ksh.89 billion in the three years since President William Ruto took office. She contrasted this with spending under former president Uhuru Kenyatta, which she said stood at approximately Ksh.100 billion over a ten-year period.

“We have seen the State House budget rise to Ksh.89 billion in just three years, compared to about Ksh.100 billion over a decade under the previous administration,” she said.

Njeri argued that the figures raise concerns about budget priorities, particularly at a time when schools are grappling with delayed capitation, infrastructure deficits, and uncertainty surrounding ongoing education reforms.

“That means our president does not want to know whether children will go to school or not, or whether classrooms will be built,” she added.

Her remarks come amid growing anxiety within the education sector, where stakeholders have repeatedly warned that financial constraints are undermining the delivery of free primary and secondary education. School heads have in recent months raised alarm over delayed disbursement of funds, forcing some institutions to scale down operations.

The legislator also criticised government spending on foreign travel, accusing the administration of prioritising trips abroad over essential public services. She questioned broader public expenditures tied to state operations and projects, suggesting that such resources could be redirected to support ordinary citizens.

“This is money that thousands of people could use to build their homes in the villages,” she said.

Her comments add to increasing political pressure on the Ruto administration over its fiscal decisions, particularly against the backdrop of a rising cost of living and heightened public scrutiny of government spending.

The government has previously defended State House expenditure as necessary for coordinating national functions and facilitating international engagements. However, critics maintain that budgetary priorities should reflect the immediate needs of citizens, especially in critical sectors such as education.

Njeri was speaking during the issuance of Ksh.2.3 million in bursaries under the Tupange Kesho NGAAF programme for the 2025/2026 financial year. She also distributed assistive devices to families with special-needs members to support mobility.