By Bonface Mulyungi

Kenya’s 2025/2026 budget is expected to grow significantly after the National Assembly approved the extra Ksh.363 billion in supplementary estimates, raising the total to Ksh.4.6 trillion from the Ksh.4.3 trillion presented by the Treasury last year.

This comes despite the National Treasury initially proposing a lower increase of Ksh.287 billion.

Budget Committee Chair Samuel Atandi says the higher allocation is largely meant to clear unpaid dues in the education, security and health sectors.

“People are already employed so we cannot stop paying their dues; we also had unforeseen events,” said Atandi.

The Budget Committee has proposed an additional Ksh.24 billion for the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), bringing its total budget to Ksh.411 billion.

The health sector will receive an additional Ksh.26 billion, raising its allocation from Ksh.138 billion to Ksh.164 billion.

With pressure expected to fall on taxpayers, Atandi says the responsibility now lies with KRA to meet revenue targets and finance the supplementary estimates.

“We want KRA to use the money we have given them to improve systems…” he noted.

The security sector is set to receive an additional Ksh.53 billion, increasing its budget from Ksh.365 billion to Ksh.418 billion.

Within the sector, the defence department will receive the lion’s share of Ksh.24 billion, the National Intelligence Service Ksh.10 billion, and the National Police Service Ksh.7.5 billion.

“Security challenges are there; they emerge each and every time there is sophistication in crime and we must keep up…” Atandi noted.

However, several departments have come under criticism for relying on Article 223 of the Constitution, which allows emergency spending without prior parliamentary approval, raising concerns over adherence to budgetary procedures.