The Ministry of Interior and National Administration has come under scrutiny after revelations that it exhausted 86 percent of its annual development budget within the first month of the current financial year.
Latest data from the National Treasury show that the Security Department under which the ministry falls spent Ksh8.6 billion out of its Ksh10 billion development allocation by the end of July, raising concerns within Parliament’s Budget and Appropriations Committee over fiscal discipline and procurement transparency.
Officials attributed the rapid utilisation to major one-off payments for priority projects including police housing, installation of surveillance equipment, vehicle acquisition and completion of stalled border security installations.
However, some MPs questioned the timing and scale of the disbursements, warning that the ministry risks running out of funds for the remaining eleven months despite ongoing exposure to security threats.
Committee chair Ndindi Nyoro said the spending pattern suggests either rushed procurement or backdoor settlements of pending bills, both of which undermine prudent financial management.
Treasury insiders confirmed that over Ksh6 billion went towards police modernisation programmes launched under the previous financial year but carried over due to delayed approvals.
The Ministry has defended itself, saying early payment helps avoid cost escalation and assures suppliers of timely settlement.
Critics, however, argue that leaving only Ksh1.4 billion for development expenditure for the rest of the year could paralyse critical expansion plans including police stations in drought-hit regions and ICT projects meant to digitise intelligence systems.
Auditors are now pushing for a detailed breakdown of the July spending to ascertain value-for-money and ensure procurement procedures were followed.
Analysts say the development underscores rising fiscal pressure facing the State even as overall security operations continue to expand amid banditry, border threats and preparations for upcoming national events.
The Interior Ministry has said it will seek emergency supplementary funding if its remaining development vote proves insufficient.
Written By Ian Maleve
