The Ministry of Defence (MoD) urgently seeks Ksh.40.7 billion within the next seven weeks to fund critical military recruitment and settle escalating pending bills, after substantial reductions to its 2024/2025 budget proposal.
The ministry initially requested Ksh.204.5 billion but was allocated only Ksh.163.5 billion, resulting in a Ksh.40.7 billion shortfalls. Defence Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru, alongside Vice Chief of Defence Forces Lieutenant General John Omenda, appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations to advocate for the urgent release of these funds.
Breakdown of Funding Needs
The additional Ksh.40.7 billion will be allocated as follows:
- Ksh 2 billion for recruiting new military officers
- Ksh 1 billion for maintaining critical military assets
- Ksh.500 million each for the Kenya Space Agency and Kenya Shipyard Limited
- Ksh 3.7 billion to clear pending bills
Mariru stressed the urgency of conducting recruitment before December 2024, warning that further delays would undermine the operational readiness and long-term stability of the defence forces. “Recruitment has been irregular in recent months. Failing to recruit by December will pose a significant challenge, potentially compromising our strategic capabilities,” he stated.
The ministry faces a growing backlog of unpaid bills, totalling Ksh.21.5 billion by the end of the last financial year, accumulated over the past four years. Mariru explained that these arrears exacerbate budget constraints, as new allocations are first used to offset existing debts. “When a department closes the financial year with pending bills, its budget is reduced because outstanding debts are treated as a first charge,” he said.
Despite the overall budget reduction, some areas received increases:
- Defence industrialisation budget: increased from Ksh.8.6 billion to Ksh.8.8 billion
- Administration and support services: grew from Ksh.2.6 billion to Ksh.2.9 billion
- Operations and maintenance: received an additional Ksh.2.5 billion
However, the development budget was cut by Ksh.7.6 billion, primarily due to changes in loan funding for modernisation efforts. The national defence vote was reduced from Ksh.192 billion to Ksh.187.7 billion.
Lt. Gen. Omenda highlighted the long-term consequences of delayed recruitment, noting that military staffing relies on continuity and structured progression. “Interruptions in recruitment disrupt our operational structure and service culture. Promotions depend on seniority and years served, so any break impacts the entire chain,” he said. He cited operational disruptions from missed recruitment cycles between 1992 and 2000, which caused age and rank imbalances. We typically have two intakes per year. Any missed cycle creates a gap, especially in replacing ageing soldiers,” he added.
Committee members raised concerns about the Ksh.2 billion allocated for recruitment. Shinyalu MP Fredrick Ikana requested a detailed breakdown of the funds’ utilisation, while Kajiado Central MP Memusi Kanchori sought a per-recruit cost breakdown for the standard nine-month training period.
As the committee deliberates, the Ministry of Defence warns that failure to secure the additional funds will have serious implications for national security and military preparedness.
