This archive report was first published on 11 June 2020.
DP William Ruto's Budget Slashed by Over 40% ¶
Deputy President William Ruto is set for a tough year after his budget was slashed by over 40% in the new financial year. His total allocation has been reduced from Sh2.4 billion to Sh1.4 billion.
According to the Treasury's budget statement, the cuts are part of the government's austerity measures aimed at reducing recurrent expenditure. The move is seen as an attempt to cut DP Ruto to size and prevent him from using taxpayers' money to fund his presidential ambitions.
While DP Ruto's budget has suffered the deepest cuts, other top officials in the Executive have also seen their allocations reduced. The Cabinet Affairs budget, for instance, has been revised upwards to Sh2.2 billion, a 21% cut from the initial Sh2.8 billion.
The State House Affairs budget has also been reduced, with the Treasury allocating Sh3.8 billion, down from Sh5.4 billion in the current year. This translates to a 29% cut.
Some of DP Ruto's budget lines have been cut by as much as 87%, including his hospitality budget, which has been reduced by 87.8% from Sh197.9 million to Sh23.9 million.
The fuel budget for the Office of the Deputy President has been halved from Sh28.4 million to Sh14.2 million, while other operating expenses have been reduced by 66% from Sh307.3 million to Sh103.6 million.
On the other hand, the office of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has received a full-year budget allocation for the first time, with the Treasury allocating Sh71.9 million. This includes Sh10 million for basic wages for temporary employees, Sh20 million for insurance costs, Sh26 million for vehicle purchases, and Sh10 million for furniture.
The development budget for the Office of the Deputy President has also been cut from Sh68 million in the 2019/20 estimates to Sh18 million in the budget statement.
At the end of the cuts, the DP's office lost at least Sh988 million compared to what it was allocated in the current financial year.
According to Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani, the revision was meant to take care of unforeseen events that cropped up after the initial budget, including the coronavirus pandemic. The economy requires a different approach from the one presented in February, he said.
