‘Kenya’s face to visiting dignitaries’: Duale defends multi-million-shilling State House facelift

Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has praised the new-look Nairobi State House which millions of shillings were poured into despite President William Ruto’s austerity pledge last year.

Images of the new-look State House emerged last week after the iconic building was in January 2024 closed down for renovations, marking the second time in just over two years it has undergone major works.

Duale on Sunday dismissed uproar from some Kenyans over the refurbishment, saying State House is the country’s face before visiting dignitaries and the upgrade is justified.  

He disputed Citizen TV’s reporting, which cited the Controller of Budget, that there is a Ksh.10.7 billion plan to refurbish state houses and state lodges over 12 years ending in June 2027.

“There is nothing like Ksh.10 billion. The Controller of Budget does not deal with expenditure,” he said, “What came to the Cabinet I am sure is not more than Ksh.2 billion.”

“I can ask the State House Comptroller to take you on a tour. Let us not trivialise the Presidency, the face of the Republic in the eyes of dignitaries who visit.”

Duale, who called himself “a member of the 22 privileged Cabinet Secretaries” who have travelled widely with President Ruto, said if Kenyans had gone abroad and seen the state of other countries’ State Houses, they would appreciate the facelift.

“You have not travelled to other countries, including Tanzania which has a new State House in Dodoma. You have not been to outside countries. I have just returned with the President Ruto from Egypt,” Duale said.

“The new state house does not belong to William Ruto; it is not his home. It is for posterity and future presidents.”

He maintained that the austerity measures President Ruto pledged last year in the wake of the 2024 Finance Bill’s withdrawal are still being honoured, adding that the State House facelifts were long overdue and should have happened during President Mwai Kibaki’s tenure.

Records of the Controller of Budget show no money has been spent between June 2024 and December 2024 following the budget cuts instituted by the President after the finance bill's withdrawal in the wake of deadly protests.

However, work has continued, resulting in the new look State House. There is a chance that there are pending bills for the project that are yet to be declared.

In the 2022/2023 financial year ending June 2023, the State House spent Ksh.59.8 million, possibly on the initial works under President Ruto.

In the financial year ending June 2024, State House paid Ksh.160.4 million for the major refurbishment, yielding a total of Ksh.220.3 million so far reported.

The broader plan has seen the Mombasa State Lodge take away over Ksh.311 million for the refurbishment of the main house and the fence under President Ruto.

The Nakuru State Lodge has cost Ksh.116 million in the same period. Eldoret State Lodge has cost Ksh.36.7 million; Kisumu Ksh.10.3 million, Sagana Ksh.30.8 million, Kakamega Ksh.15.9 million, Kisii Ksh.9.8 million while Mtito Andei has cost just over Ksh.220,000 to refurbish buildings there.

Over the two years, the development expenditure of state houses has been a total of Ksh.2.9 billion against a requirement of Ksh.3.7 billion.

But the budget financing requirements for the nine state houses and lodges projects are way higher at over Ksh.7 billion; the July 2024 budget cuts standing in their way.