The National Treasury has announced the cancellation of the construction, refurbishment, and renovation of several government buildings abroad following budget cuts necessitated by the rejection of the Finance Bill 2024. This decision impacts the government’s initial plan to refurbish 15 buildings housing Kenyan diplomats worldwide for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.
According to Supplementary Estimates 1 for the 2024/25 financial year, only the project in Pretoria, South Africa, reached completion, as it was 100 percent refurbished before the budget cuts were instituted.
The affected buildings are located in Mogadishu (Somalia), Washington DC (United States), two in London (United Kingdom), Abuja (Nigeria), and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). Additional impacted properties are in Islamabad (Pakistan), Rome (Italy), Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), New York (United States), Lusaka (Zambia), Kampala (Uganda), and The Hague (Netherlands).
In Mogadishu, the construction and refurbishment of an office block, which was 70 percent complete, has been suspended. In the United States, planned renovations of properties in Washington DC and New York have been halted.
In London, budget cuts have stopped upgrades and renovations at the ambassador’s residence and the purchase of a new chancery. Similarly, in Nigeria, the renovation of the chancery in Abuja, which was 60 percent complete, has been abandoned.
The Treasury had initially allocated funds for the renovation of the ambassador’s residence in Dar es Salaam and the construction of a new chancery in Islamabad to expand Kenya’s diplomatic presence in the region.
In Rome, the renovation of the chancery, which was 90 percent complete, has been left unfinished. Other significant projects, including the renovation of properties in Kinshasa, Lusaka, and Addis Ababa, have also been abandoned.
In Kampala, funds had been earmarked for alterations to the chancery and security enhancements. In The Hague, only 10 percent of the repairs at the ambassador’s residence were completed before the project was stopped.
The Treasury’s budget cuts reflect the financial constraints faced by the government, impacting its ability to maintain and expand diplomatic facilities abroad.
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