The Ndindi Nyoro-led Budget and Appropriations Committee has poked holes into the Treasury's plans to fold up the offices of the First and Second Lady, despite mounting pressure to cut costs. This in essence would extend the existence of these offices, which Kenyans have demanded be disbanded.

This decision comes as a significant relief to the staff, following heated deliberations on President William Ruto’s proposal in the first Supplementary Budget of the current financial year to slash expenditures in these offices.

President Ruto had initially proposed significant budget cuts, aiming to scrap confidential expenditures for the Office of the Deputy President, as well as allocations to the Office of the First Lady and the Office of the Spouse to the Deputy President. The proposal faced staunch opposition from the Committee on Administration and Internal Security in the National Assembly.

Narok West MP Gabriel Koshal Tongoyo, head of the Committee, alongside members like George Peter Kaluma, argued that terminating the contracts of staff in these offices could lead to legal challenges and additional costs. They emphasised the binding nature of the contracts and the potential financial repercussions of discontinuing these services.

The committee's decision to retain the budget lines has sparked debate and speculation on its implications. Treasury had originally scrapped the budget lines for the offices of First Lady Rachael Ruto and Second Lady Dorcas Gachagua, aiming to save Ksh1.25 billion in the current financial year. 

This move was part of a broader strategy to implement austerity measures across the national government to address a Ksh346 billion deficit, a consequence of the now-abandoned controversial Finance Bill 2024.

President Ruto’s spouse, Rachael Ruto, had been allocated Ksh696.6 million, marking a 17.3 percent increase from the previous year's allocation of Ksh593.9 million. The office of the spouse of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua faced a complete budget cut, losing Ksh557.6 million in the proposed Supplementary Budget 1, which is currently under parliamentary scrutiny.

The budget for Ms Gachagua's office had already been reduced from Ksh717 million allocated in the 2023/24 budget. These cuts were part of President Ruto’s pledge to eliminate budgets allocated to the offices of the First Lady and Second Lady, following widespread anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests.

"Budget lines providing for the operations of the offices of the First Lady, the spouses of the Deputy President, and the Prime Cabinet Secretary shall be removed," President Ruto announced in an address to the nation, following unprecedented public protests.

As the parliamentary scrutiny of the Supplementary Budget continues, the fate of these budget lines remains a contentious issue. The decision to retain the budget for the First and Second Lady’s offices signifies a critical juncture in the ongoing debate over government spending and fiscal responsibility. 

The final outcome will likely have far-reaching implications for the administration and the broader political landscape.