Upgrades at Deputy President William Ruto's offices will cost taxpayers over Ksh103 million in the coming financial year.
Treasury CS Ukur Yatani in his budget estimates for the financial year 2021/22 allocated Ksh63 million towards general works at the DP's Harambee House offices in the Nairobi CBD.
Yatani also indicated that refurbishment at the DP's Karen office will total to Ksh40 million in 2021/2022.
Repairs at the Harambee House office are expected to rise upwards to Ksh95 million in the next financial year.
Upgrades at the DP's Karen office will cost taxpayers up to Ksh57 million past 2021/22.
Routine maintenance at both offices will cost Ksh23 million in 2021/2022 and may rise up to Ksh38 million in 2023.
Ruto's Karen office is located at his official residence in the outskirts of Nairobi. Ruto hosts meetings at the office more than the one located in CBD, after falling out of favour with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Features of the Karen mansion include a swimming pool, an expansive office block, a garage, a staff residence and a comptrollers unit.
On February 26, Jubilee Vice-Chairman David Murathe hinted at evicting Ruto out of the Karen for reportedly undermining the President.
"With the exit clause, the eviction party of the DP from the hustler mansion in Karen is loading. That you can take to the bank," Murathe claimed during an interview on KTN News.
Half of the Ksh3.6 trillion budget -Yatani is expected to present in Parliament in June 2021 - will be channelled towards development projects in Uhuru's last months in office.
The President who is keen on securing his legacy and completing the Big 4 Agenda further urged KRA to hit their Ksh1.7 trillion tax collection target. Yatani alluded to borrowing the deficit to achieve his Ksh3.6 trillion budget.
"I will not lower taxes. You will have to pay because there is no other way we can build facilities, roads, and schools. We must pay taxes," Uhuru declared while speaking at the National Cargo Deconsolidation Centre in Nairobi, on Wednesday, February 10.
The government wants to raise its debt ceiling past Ksh9 trillion with the projected debt expected to hit Ksh7.66 trillion from Ksh6.69 trillion by June 30, the end of the financial year 2020/21. Kenya's debt may hit Ksh8.59 trillion in June 2022 and Ksh9.37 trillion by mid-2023.
