Odede Seeks Sh5.1Bn Budget Boost Amid Vehicle Shortage
News Updated: 19 February 2026 15:58 EAT
Appearing before a Finance and National Planning committee, Public Investments PS Cyrell Odede said the extra funding was needed to bridge a budget shortfall in the 2026–2027 financial year, including
Public Investments and Asset Management Principal Secretary Cyrell Odede has sought an additional Sh5.099 billion from Parliament, telling lawmakers the funds are necessary to bridge a projected shortfall in the 2026–2027 financial year and stabilise operations within his State Department.
Appearing before the National Assembly Finance and National Planning Committee, Odede outlined financial pressures facing the relatively new department, saying its current allocation is insufficient to sustain core mandates tied to public investment oversight and asset management.
The department is operating on an estimated Sh3.9 billion budget for the 2025–2026 financial year, a figure Odede indicated does not adequately match its expanding responsibilities. He noted that while staff were transferred to the unit, critical operational assets were not.
Among the most immediate gaps, the PS highlighted the absence of official vehicles. He disclosed that the department does not have a designated car for the office of the Principal Secretary, complicating mobility for official engagements and field assignments.
The request before lawmakers includes funding for the acquisition of motor vehicles and other logistical infrastructure intended to support oversight functions across government entities. Odede maintained that mobility is essential for effective supervision of state corporations and public assets.
Beyond transport, the proposed top-up would also cater for operational costs, staffing needs, and the strengthening of systems required to manage pensions and government investments. The department plays a central role in safeguarding public resources and ensuring accountability in state-owned enterprises.
Members of the committee raised questions about expenditure priorities and the timing of the supplementary request, pressing the PS to justify why the initial budgetary allocation did not factor in essential assets.
Odede defended the proposal as a corrective measure necessitated by the structural transition that created the department, arguing that inherited human resources without accompanying tools of work had slowed implementation of its mandate.
The matter now moves to the broader National Assembly of Kenya for consideration, as lawmakers weigh the request against wider fiscal constraints and competing national priorities in the upcoming budget cycle.
Tags: Signs Media Kenya Limited Signsmedia Signstvkenya
Share this article
FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD