Africa-Press – Kenya. President William Ruto cannot be expected to walk to Kisumu to conduct public participation on government programmes, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has said.
Speaking when he appeared during a Senate Hearing on Wednesday, Mbadi defended the Head of State’s countrywide tours as being fully funded within the approved national budget.
Mbadi was responding to a question from Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who sought clarity on the cost and political nature of the President’s Nyota events.
“How much does it cost to put up those fancy-full tents that we see in Nyota events? How much does it cost to transport all of you, including the President, to those events? Why do you allow politics to be played on those podiums?” Sifuna posed.
In response, Mbadi said Kenyans must be realistic about how public sensitisation is conducted.
“Kenyans are very interesting. They want public participation and you expect the President to walk to Kisumu or any county on foot to conduct public sensitisation on the Nyota programme?” Mbadi posed.
“We need proper sensitisation of the youth on how to run their businesses and we need the Head of State to articulate and explain the agenda.”
His remarks come at a time when Ruto has intensified development tours across the country, with critics questioning the cost of the trips and calling for more direct engagement with citizens, particularly young people grappling with unemployment and limited access to capital.
Mbadi maintained that all expenditures related to the President’s movements are lawful and fall within the budgetary allocations approved by Parliament.
“What I know is that it has been spent within the budget of the President to run programmes. All the expenditures — the budget that he has spent in going around — is within the budget provided by the National Assembly,” he said.
The Treasury CS emphasised that while public participation is critical in governance, it must be structured and executed through appropriate government channels rather than relying solely on presidential appearances.
Last week, Ruto defended his administration’s youth empowerment programmes, saying they are designed to uplift young people through enterprise development and not to serve any political agenda.
Speaking in Mandera County, the President said the government had made a deliberate effort to place young people at the centre of economic transformation, noting that they hold the key to the country’s future.
“By bringing young people on board, we harness their energy, talent, and knowledge for the development of our country, for the empowerment of every young person, for the growth of our economy, and for the progress of our nation,” Ruto said.
The Mandera and Wajir disbursements mark the end of phase one of the NYOTA Business Start-Up Capital component. Similar events have been held in Kakamega, Eldoret, Nakuru, Nyeri, Machakos, Meru, Malindi, Mombasa, and Garissa.
Nationally, the programme has benefited more than 120,000 young businesspeople, who have received a total of Sh5 billion under a joint initiative between the government and the World Bank.
Beneficiaries have undergone business skills training and will continue to receive mentorship to ensure their enterprises remain sustainable.
