Living large: How Ruto Gov’t poured over Ksh.500M into State House, lodges renovation in two years

In January 2024, the main building of the Nairobi State House was closed down for renovations.

President William Ruto shifted his workstation to the newly built pavilion, hosting Cabinet meetings, and visiting heads of state and high-level dignitaries. Some of the engagements have been hosted at state lodges across different parts of the country.

Last week as the President hosted the Guinea Bissau President, images emerged of the new-look State House.

The previously hipped roof of terracotta tiles that has weathered decades, is no longer visible. Experts observe that the roof could have been enhanced to have a prominent parapet, meaning a vertical wall that runs along the roofline.

In the old-look house, the red-tile roof was prominent replete with chimneys. It is not clear now if the chimneys have been maintained.

The old-look building had two drive-through entrance porches, the left one being the main entrance usually used by the President and his guests, the one on the right serving as a secondary entrance to the symbolic powerhouse.

Atop the left porch stood the presidential standard and the East African Community flag, while the one on the right carried the national flag. The two porches are now gone, replaced with a single central porch, creating some form of a drop-off point and a canopy.

The roof appears extended, with new columns erected all through the driveway either to support the enhanced roof or for aesthetic value.

This is the second time in just over two years that State House Nairobi is undergoing major works.

In late 2022, a few months after President Ruto ascended to office, State House Nairobi was renovated, with a new coat of paint, and a cabro surface for the front courtyard. The new tenant knocked off the more than a decade-old wooden pavilion, replacing it with a new state-of-the-art pavilion with meeting rooms.

According to the Controller of Budget, there is a Ksh.10.7 billion plan to refurbish state houses and state lodges over a period of 12 years ending in June 2027.

As of September 2024, Ksh.3.3 billion had been sunk into the project.

The Nairobi project has been valued at Ksh.1.7 billion. By September 2024, Ksh.775 million had been spent, representing a 44 per cent completion status.

Records of the Controller of Budget show that no money has been spent between June 2024 and December 2024, following the budget cuts instituted by the President, after the withdrawal of Finance Bill 2024.

Still, work 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.

President of the Architectural Association of Kenya Florence Nyole says that “the renovation has ended up being a redesign and takes away from the recognition of State House as Kenyans know it.”

“Public buildings that require renovation should be listed with the National Museums and should undergo public scrutiny before being worked on,” President Nyole says.

But the broader plan has seen the Mombasa State Lodge take away over Ksh.311 million on 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.