Mudavadi Under Fire: Mystery Surrounds Ksh1.7 Billion ‘Ghost’ London Embassy Expenditure
Members of Parliament questioned the request made by Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi for an additional Ksh350 million to fund the purchase of a new London embassy and the renovation of the New York facility.
During his appearance before the Committee on Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations, Mudavadi faced scrutiny over the necessity of seeking extra funds when Ksh1.74 billion had already been allocated for buying the London chancery.
Kenya has been in pursuit of a new office block for its mission in the United Kingdom after the lease for the High Commissioner’s chancery and staff expired in October 2021.
Lawmakers raised concerns about the stalled project despite the allocated funds due to the nullification of the tender for purchasing the chancery building, attributed to Kenya’s failure to secure a conveyancing lawyer for the procurement process.
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An earlier audit conducted by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu revealed that from 2021 to August 2023, the country had been spending approximately Ksh58.63 million annually on renting the London chancery, with a subsequent increase to Ksh95.18 million.
Gathungu’s audit report shed light on the substandard conditions of some buildings housing Kenya’s diplomats.
To address these challenges, the government has earmarked Ksh2.3 billion in the 2024/25 budget estimates for the construction and repair of Kenyan embassies worldwide.
The repair of government properties in New York is expected to consume Ksh841 million, followed by allocations for embassies in Lusaka (Ksh30 million), Mogadishu (Ksh25 million), Rome (Ksh21 million), Washington DC (Ksh20 million), and Dar es Salaam (Ksh20 million).
Several other embassies are also slated for construction, including Kinshasa (Ksh20 million), Addis Ababa (Ksh20 million), Hague (Ksh15 million), Pretoria (Ksh10 million), and Kampala (Ksh10 million).
With over 60 diplomatic missions abroad, Kenya’s primary objective is to safeguard and advance the nation’s interests through these representations.
Mudavadi Under Fire: Mystery Surrounds Ksh1.7 Billion ‘Ghost’ London Embassy Expenditure