The Ministry of Defence has asked the National Assembly to consider its budget proposal for the establishment of a space centre.
Appearing before National Assembly Committee on Defence, Principal Secretary Dr. Patrick Mariru noted that the centre would put Kenya on the global map because of its space capabilities.
The PS defended the ministry’s budget estimates for the 2025/26 fiscal year.
According to the PS, the proposed budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Defence is Kshs 204.62 billion.
Led by Committe Chair, Nelson Koech, Committee Members noted Defence Industrialization programme and the progress of the ongoing military modernization initiative.
Lawmakers questioned how Kenya could position itself as a regional leader in defence technology and manufacturing, emphasizing the need for transparency, accountability, and strategic innovation.
“The success of this programme will depend on clear policies and sustainable funding mechanisms,” Nelson Koech noted.
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In addition, legislators questioned the Ministry on the implementation of the military modernization programme, which has received approximately Ksh 105.17 billion in funding since 2017/18.
MPs also raised concerns over the lack of a detailed breakdown of how these funds have been spent over the years.
“The Committee has not been appraised of the details of programmes in modernization or the specific equipment and systems upgraded,” said Memusi Kanchory.
Lawmakers also raised concerns over the Ministry’s pending bills, which settled as a first charge in the 2025/26 budget, potentially affecting available resources for new projects.
Members of the Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations requested a detailed list of outstanding payments.
𝐃efence Parliamentary committee engages foreign affairs
At the same time, the Committee ngaged the State Departments of Diaspora Affairs and Foreign Affairs in a deliberation on the 2025/26 Budget Policy Statement.
The Principal Secretary for the State Department on Diaspora Affairs, Dr. Roseline Njogu appeared before the Committee to present the department’s budgetary allocation of Kshs 675.9 million.
Highlighting the department’s achievements, PS Njogu noted that they had facilitated two bilateral labour agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and provided consular services to 168 Kenyans. However, she acknowledged that no diaspora officers had been posted to Kenyan missions.
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Yusuf Hassan expressed concern over the department’s responsiveness to Kenyans in distress abroad.
“This department has not adequately addressed the issues of Kenyans working in hostile environments. There is a need for a dedicated unit to respond to such distress cases. Do you have a specific timeframe for addressing Kenyans in distress?” he asked.
On his part, Elijah Memusi sought clarity on the department’s facilitation of 250,000 jobs for Kenyans abroad, requesting detailed information on their destinations and welfare.
Additionally, Fred Ikana asked, “We have seen plans to open 16 Diaspora offices within missions. Who is going to find this? Provide a funding source.”
Responding to the queries, PS Dr. Njogu clarified that while the diaspora offices would be stationed within existing embassies, funding was required to deploy officers.
She also noted that response timelines for Kenyans in distress depended on cooperation with host countries, which sometimes posed challenges.
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