Kenya spent Sh524 million to finance former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s unsuccessful bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson position, according to data submitted to Parliament.
The Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations Committee of the National Assembly revealed that the funds were used for chartering aircraft, hotel accommodations, airport transfers, and an extensive publicity campaign across the continent to promote Raila’s candidacy.
Committee chairperson Nelson Koech presented the figures before the Liaison Committee, which is currently reviewing the second supplementary budget for the 2024/25 financial year.
The Liaison Committee, chaired by Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss, is handling the process in the absence of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, which has yet to assume office following its recent constitution.
Koech urged MPs to approve the expenditure, arguing that it was legally incurred under the Constitution.
"The committee approves the spending of Sh523.84 million for the State Department for Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Affairs, incurred in accordance with Article 223 of the Constitution," Koech told the committee during a session at a Nairobi hotel on Monday.
Article 223 of the Constitution allows the government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Fund Services (CFS) for emergencies without prior Cabinet approval, provided that such withdrawals do not exceed 10% of the annual budget.
However, the expenditure must be regularized and approved by the National Assembly within two months.
According to Koech, who is also the Belgut MP, the funds were primarily allocated to international candidature activities, particularly Raila’s AUC campaign.
Despite Kenya’s heavy investment in the campaign, Raila lost to Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Mahamoud Youssouf during the AUC elections held on February 15 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Raila dropped out in the sixth round after Youssouf secured a two-thirds majority.
This is not the first time Kenya has poured significant resources into an AUC campaign.
In 2017, the country heavily invested in the bid of then-Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed, who also lost.
Her campaigns, according to documents tabled in Parliament, cost Sh438 million.
