Photos of the new look of State House Nairobi surfaced on social media platforms as Kenyans expressed different views on the landscape facelift.
The photos shared showed the official entrance to the State House with a courtyard fitted with cabro, a departure from the traditional asphalt surface.
The courtyard, which hosts a wide range of State House events, is now covered with grey cabro. A section of Kenyans reacted to the new look- with some expressing their reservations.
Some questioned the rationale of having cabro in place of the traditional tarmac on the courtyard, especially in view of durability concerns that come with cabro surfaces.
They argued that the lifespan of cabro surfaces will be short-lived and subsequently cost Kenyan taxpayers more money in repairing them.
In addition, some Kenyans raised concerns about the cost implications of the facelift amid the tough economic situation facing Kenya and Kenya Kwanza's austerity measures as proclaimed by President William Ruto.
"State House removed Tarmac and replaced it with Cabro. Cabro are likely to soak in water within no time and the place will be messy," a social media user commented.
"State House just insisted on removing asphalt for cabro, why? The White House has taken considerable steps to safeguard its historic status, including the protection of its look for over 231 years," another one commented.
The development came on the back of a debate centred on the budget allocations for State House and the official residences of other dignitaries.
According to the Supplementary budget prepared by the National Treasury, State House was set to receive Ksh8.85 billion from the exchequer. The Office of the Deputy President was also lined up to receive Ksh2.63 billion.
In 2022, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had to wait for several months before moving into the Official Residence of the Deputy President in Karen to allow renovation works undertaken after the exit of President William Ruto.
The office allocated to Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi at Kenya Railways was also earmarked for a facelift.
This, however, would not be the first time that State House spent big on renovations and facelifts. In 2022, the government under then President Uhuru Kenyatta approved a budget of Ksh258 million aimed at the renovation of the main State House and other State Lodges in Kenya.
