Nairobi — Kirinyaga Woman Representative Jane Maina Njeri has criticised the government's spending priorities, questioning the allocation of billions to State House operations while the education sector faces persistent funding challenges.
Speaking on Friday, Njeri claimed that State House expenditure has reached Sh89 billion in the three years since President William Ruto took office, a figure she contrasted with spending under former president Uhuru Kenyatta.
"We have seen the State House budget they have spent is Sh89 billion in the last three years. We know that former president Uhuru Kenyatta spent about Sh100 billion in ten years," she said.
She spoke in Kirinyaga County during the issuance of Ksh2.3 million bursaries. Under the Tupange Kesho NGAAF program FY 2025/2026, she also issued assistive devices to special-needs families to support their mobility.
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She argued that the figures raise serious concerns about the government's commitment to education, particularly at a time when schools are grappling with delayed capitation, infrastructure gaps, and uncertainty around reforms.
"That means our president does not want to know whether children will go to school or not. He does not want to know if classrooms will be built," Njeri said.
Her remarks come amid growing anxiety within the education sector, where stakeholders have repeatedly warned of financial strain affecting the delivery of free primary and secondary education.
School heads have in recent months raised concerns over delayed disbursement of funds, forcing some institutions to scale down operations.
Njeri also criticised government spending on foreign travel, accusing the administration of using public funds on trips abroad while essential services remain underfunded.
She further questioned large public expenditures tied to projects and state operations, arguing that such funds could be redirected to support ordinary Kenyans.
"This is money that thousands of people can use to build their homes in the villages," she added.
Her comments add to mounting political pressure on the Ruto administration over its fiscal decisions, particularly in the context of rising cost of living and increased public scrutiny over government spending.
While the government has previously defended State House expenditure as necessary for coordinating national functions and international engagements, the opposition has maintained that budget priorities should reflect the immediate needs of citizens, especially in critical sectors such as education.
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