State House wants Parliament to approve a Ksh.20 billion budget for the 2026/2027 Financial Year, nearly double the Ksh.13 billion the Treasury initially proposed, as it pushes to fund expanded operations and an ambitious program of infrastructure upgrades across the country’s state lodges.
State House Comptroller Katoo Ole Metito made the case before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security on Wednesday, May 13, arguing that the Treasury’s allocation falls Ksh. 7 billion short of what the office actually needs to function effectively.
The request follows a familiar pattern. In the 2025/2026 financial year, State House started with an allocation of Ksh.8.5 billion before supplementary budgets pushed the final figure to Ksh.17 billion. This time, the office is asking Parliament to close the gap upfront rather than return for additional funding mid-year.
Renovations Underway and More Planned
A significant portion of the budget request covers the refurbishment of state lodges across the country. Metito defended the cost of renovating State House Nairobi, describing it as a necessary investment in the nation’s primary seat of power. Work on the Mombasa and Eldoret State Lodges is already underway, with Kisumu and Nakuru next in line for refurbishment and expansion.
The comptroller also pointed to a long-standing challenge of encroachment that has complicated renovation efforts over the years. Many state properties have faced sustained pressure from private developers, which has historically delayed or derailed upgrade plans.
Kakamega Land Recovered After Years of Encroachment
One of the more striking disclosures from Metito’s presentation involved a 100-acre piece of land in Kakamega that State House has successfully reclaimed after private developers grabbed it. With the land now back under government control, State House is moving forward with plans to construct a new state lodge on the recovered site, a development that would give the western Kenya region a dedicated presidential facility for the first time.
The Ksh 20 billion request now sits with Parliament for consideration.
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