While mama mboga counts coins to buy unga and boda riders pay more tax on fuel, the President’s office is spending Ksh2 million every single day on printing. This is not just excess — it is betrayal.
The Facts
The Controller of Budget, Margaret Nyakang’o, revealed that the Executive Office of the President received Ksh4 billion for 2024/2025, with Ksh817 million earmarked for printing. That breaks down to Ksh68 million a month, or Ksh2.2 million daily.
The report also flagged Ksh1.9 billion for administration, Ksh750 million for coordination functions, and Ksh1 billion for presidential advisers. On top of that, State House is refurbishing offices at a cost projected to exceed Ksh1.2 billion by 2027.
For the ordinary Kenyan, these numbers are not abstract. They are why medicine runs out in hospitals. They are why children share torn books in classrooms. They are why counties wait endlessly for disbursements while State House enjoys glossy invitation cards and luxury renovations.
When leaders preach austerity while practicing extravagance, the burden is pushed onto hustlers already suffocating under taxes. Printing contracts become the latest reminder that government waste comes straight from the pockets of ordinary Kenyans.
The Facts
Article 201 of the Constitution demands prudent and responsible use of public money. Article 10 calls for integrity, transparency, and accountability in governance. Blowing Ksh2 million daily on printing while citizens face hunger mocks the very principles the Constitution stands on.
This scandal is more than printing gone mad — it is proof that sacrifice in Kenya is demanded only from the poor. Unless Parliament and citizens demand answers, wasteful spending will remain the culture at the heart of power, and Kenyans will keep paying the price.
