Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale says the ongoing renovation of the iconic Nairobi State House is being done in accordance with the law, contrary to some critics' claims.
According to Duale, any construction involving the use of public resources must comply with the provisions of the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act and the Public Procurement and Disposal (PPD) Act, and the State House is no exception.
He said contrary to claims by some leaders, the design has been approved by the State House comptroller while strictly adhering to the law.
“Everything that we do including the building of State House is anchored in law, it is not something pedestrian, it is not in the streets,” he stated.
Speaking during a TV interview, the CS also dismissed as baseless report that public participation was not conducted noting the building is a security installation and there is no way “we can go to the streets seeking for views”.
The architect and the engineers overseeing the works, he said, are from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
The funds, Duale added, were approved by Parliament and the Auditor General and other relevant agencies will use the law where applicable to confirm whether money was well utilised or proper work was done.
The new-look building which adopts a flat roof design has been a source of concern among some leaders and Kenyans with many arguing public participation ought to have been conducted.
The renovations are part of an effort to modernise the nearly century-old structure which was originally designed and built in 1907 by British architect Herbert Baker.
President William Ruto gave a rare glimpse into the ongoing renovations a week ago when he hosted Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló who was in the country for a State visit.
In some of the photos shared by State House, the building features a more modern aesthetic, with only one dormer atop the front part of the building.
The previous design had two dormers; one displaying both the presidential standard and the East Africa Community (EAC) flag while the other the Kenyan flag, rising above the roof line.
The works commenced in December 2023 and are set to be completed in the next few months, according to sources privy about it.
The building has not undergone any major renovation since then raising concerns about its structural stability forcing the president to order for a facelift.