Major security agencies got more budgetary allocations in the 2026/27 budget as compared to the last two budgets.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, while speaking in Parliament, said he had allocated the National Security sector a total of Sh591.2 billion in the 2026/27 budget.
This was an increase of Sh127 billion from the Sh464.9 billion allocated in the 2025-2026 budget.
This accounts for the second-largest portion of the overall Sh4.84 trillion national spending plan, trailing only the education sector
Ministry of Defense got Sh252.15 billion, the National Police Service (NPS) Sh144.7 billion, National Intelligence Service (NIS) Sh63.9 billion, while the prisons service was allocated Sh42.6 billion for the period.
Of this, Sh63.9 billion will go to Internal Security.
Key projects for the police include funding provisions for police vehicle leasing and dedicated police modernisation programmes.
Over Sh1.2 billion has been directed specifically toward constructing and modernising national forensic facilities to combat crime.
Mbadi added that the allocations include Sh13 billion for leasing police vehicles, Sh7 billion for police modernisation, Sh1 billion for equipping the forensic facility, and Sh3.9 billion for stipends for village elders.
According to Mbadi, the funds are intended to enhance local administrative capacity and recognise the role village elders play in resolving security and social challenges within communities.
Last month, Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo told the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security that Kenya has approximately 110,000 village elders supporting national government functions at the grassroots level.
Under the proposed programme, each village elder is expected to receive a monthly stipend of Sh3,000.
The latest allocation continues an upward trend in security spending over the last three years.
In the 2025/26 financial year, the government allocated Sh464.9 billion to the security sector, while the 2024 budget provided Sh377.5 billion.
Last year’s allocations included Sh202.3 billion for Defence, Sh125.7 billion for the National Police Service, Sh51.4 billion for the National Intelligence Service, Sh32.5 billion for Internal Security and National Administration, and Sh38.1 billion for Prison Services.
The increased funding is expected to support ongoing security reforms, modernisation programmes and efforts to enhance public safety across the country while creating an environment conducive to investment and economic growth.
The next period being political and ahead of the 2027 polls the massive boost is primarily designed to among others improve intelligence gathering, border security, and homeland security operations.
At about Sh4.8 trillion, this is the largest government expenditure plan post-independence.
The government can however collect about Sh3.63 trillion, leaving a Sh1.1 trillion shortfall.
Other areas under this budget line include digitisation of firearms licensing records, operations of the Kenya Coast Guard Service and mitigating disasters as a result of climate change as well as security operations to curb the proliferation of illegal small arms and light weapons.
The government plan to create a new Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit (NMPU).
This will require more funds.
The unit, expected to begin operations by July, will focus on smart policing, visible patrols, and mandatory body cameras for officers.
The Unit will strengthen response to emerging security challenges, improve inter-agency collaboration, and promote cooperation between the police and the public.
The formation of the Unit follows the cooperation agreement between the national Government and Nairobi City County to make the city and its satellite towns safer for residents, visitors and investors.
