New report reveals Ruto’s office spent Ksh.2M per day on printing services, Ksh.1B on advisors

The Executive Office of the President spent an average of Ksh.2 million per day on printing services in the last financial year, the Office of the Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o has revealed.

The report, which flagged massive wastage in government, also showed that President William Ruto’s office spent a whopping Ksh.1 billion on advisors, who have since reached 20 in the Kenya Kwanza administration.

The National Government Budget Implementation Review Report for the financial year 2024–2025 has laid bare the government’s expenditure of the total budget of Ksh.4 trillion in the year preceding the Gen Z protests that led to the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024.

Despite the pledges to reduce budgetary expenditures in unnecessary and wasteful spending to plug the deficit, it appears the government was on an overdrive to implement the contrary.

The report showed that out of its total budget of Ksh.4.6 billion, Harambee House spent a total of Ksh.817 million on government printing services alone, translating to Ksh.68 million per month and an average of Ksh.2.2 million per day for the services alone.

The services included paper used to print government policy, executive orders, directives, proclamations transmitted to MDAs, performance contracts, bi-weekly press statements, periodic government communication during times of crisis, regional media forums, among others.

The printing budget is also said to have gone higher due to the huge number of guests invited to the State House for engagements with the president, which require high-quality paper for the invitation cards.

The office also spent Ksh.1.9 billion for general administration, planning and support services and Ksh.765 million on leadership and coordination services.

However, the report did not disclose how much was spent in the construction and refurbishment of the office which has seen some officers relocate to higher floors in the building.

The report also revealed that the office spent Ksh.1 billion on government advisory services.

“Ksh.62 million was paid for the Kenya–South Sudan advisory services, Ksh.46 million on the Power of Mercy advisory, and Ksh.450 million on counter-terrorism advisory services. The office also splashed Ksh.97 million for advisory services on economic and social affairs, Ksh.150 million on strategic policy advisory services, and Ksh.251 million on public entities oversight entities,” read the report.

President Ruto’s advisors have since hit 20, with the latest appointments made by the head of state.

Nyakang’o’s report also disclosed that State House Nairobi spent Ksh.399 million on the refurbishment of the House on the Hill, with works currently at 66% and completion expected in 2027. The house, which has been a full-time construction site, has gobbled up Ksh.1.17 billion so far since its construction began.

A recent house tour by President Ruto to his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta, gave a sneak peek of the major works going on. The cost of refurbishment is expected to go over and beyond the cost of construction of the House on the Hill.