Members of Parliament have raised serious concerns about the budgeting and accountability of key projects under the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy.
During a session on Tuesday chaired by Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie, the National Assembly Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation questioned the Ministry’s inconsistent costing, rising pending bills, and the slow implementation of flagship digital programs.
MP Erastus Kivasu questioned the lack of progress in the Studio Mashinani project, which was meant to set up recording studios across the country to promote local talent.
“You have done ten studios in ten years, and now you only plan to do two? Is this a strategy or are you just using the digital agenda as an excuse?” Kivasu asked.
Other MPs accused the Ministry of presenting budget requests with no clear explanation of expected results. “You’re asking for millions without showing any value for money. Where is the plan?” asked MP Alfah Miruka.
The Ministry disclosed that it had no active budget for Studio Mashinani, despite earlier suggesting that four new studios would cost Sh40 million. MPs noted that a similar quote from KBC was Sh30 million, calling the figures inconsistent.
Concerns also arose over the Ministry’s pending bills. The Ministry reported debts of Sh7.3 billion, including Sh6.9 billion owed to the Postal Corporation of Kenya and Sh450 million to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). However, MPs said these figures did not match those from the National Treasury.
“This data doesn’t tally with what Treasury has. So who is misleading the House?” Miruka asked.
MPs insisted that key government projects should not be sidelined during budget cuts. “If budget ceilings are tight, then the Ministry must go back to the drawing board. Government commitments, especially presidential directives, should not be the ones suffering,” said MP Jematiah.
The committee also discussed the BETA Digital Superhighway program, which aims to build 1,400 digital hubs across Kenya. MPs questioned delays and confusion over which agencies are responsible for equipment and infrastructure.
“Why are we constructing hubs through CDF when there’s no clarity on who will supply equipment or manage them?” posed MP Shakeel Shabbir.
ICT Authority CEO Stanley Kamanguya admitted there had been delays, partly due to coordination issues with Kenya Power, but said the problems were being addressed.
The MPs also revisited the Worldcoin saga and asked whether the government had confirmed the deletion of biometric data collected by the company.
“Who deletes the data—Worldcoin or the Communications Authority? And how do we know it’s actually gone?” asked MP Gideon Kimaiyo.
The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner said Worldcoin had submitted a sworn statement in 2023 claiming the data was deleted, but verification is still ongoing.
Cybersecurity emerged as another concern, with MPs calling for a central and well-funded strategy to protect Kenya’s digital systems. They cited a funding gap of Sh2.8 billion in the sector.
“Cybersecurity isn’t something to handle in bits. The government must stop working in silos,” warned Committee Chairperson Kiarie.
MPs also raised alarm over poor digital connectivity in public health facilities, warning that the Universal Health Coverage program could stall without proper ICT support.
“You can’t digitize healthcare without the backbone of connectivity. This is urgent,” added Kimaiyo.
The Committee also questioned the low absorption of funds under the Kenya Digital Economy Acceleration Project (KDEAP), funded by the World Bank.
“You’ve had the money, but why haven’t you used it? Should we cut your budget next time?” asked Miruka.
Additionally, the committee discussed financial challenges facing the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Prof. J. Khamasi warned that the institution cannot hire enough lecturers due to budget cuts.
“At this rate, KAIST can’t even hire one professor per department. How do we expect the Commission for University Education to accredit such a university?” he asked.
As the session ended, Chairperson Kiarie emphasized that Parliament will not approve figures without clear plans.
“We are not here to rubber-stamp budgets. We want working strategies, proper spending, and real results for Kenyans,” he said.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
