Mbadi says 85 programmes will be affected by Trump's order

National Treasury CS John Mbadi (centre) flanked by PS Chris Kiptoo (left) with Economic Planning PS James Muhati, addresses the Press outside the Treasury Building in Nairobi on February 13, 2025. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi says 85 programmes valued at Sh52.2 billion supported by US government will be affected by an executive order issued by President Donald Trump stopping foreign aid.

Mbadi, who appeared before the Senate on Wednesday, said 15 critical life-saving programmes, emergency food assistance and the police mission in Haiti will continue receiving funding from the Trump administration.

He held a meeting with top officials at the US embassy in Nairobi who assured him that funding for critical sectors will not be affected and that he requested for write up on the impact of the executive order, including areas that will not be affected. “There were 100 programmes supported by the United States Agency for International Development and after the executive order by President Trump they have been reduced to 15 which includes interventions for emergency food assistance and the Kenya Police mission in Haiti,” said Mbadi.

President Trump signed the executive order to reevaluate and realign US aid for 90 days pending a review. Yesterday, Mbadi said the US funded about 100 programmes through implementing partners but not directly into the country’s budget with the signing of the development corporation framework agreement (DCFA) with USAID on December 8, 2019.

The initial contribution was USD 50.01 million but has been increased to USD 1.69 billion (Sh220.47 billion) with CS stating that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded programmes in Kenya relates to education, food security and governance.

“The amount for the said programmes is approximately USD158.9 million while the total assistance is approximately USD405.4 million in FY 2024-25 from USAID, which includes other sectors such as health, economic growth, water and environment,” said Mbadi.

He said in education, USAID is running programmes valued at USD22.3 million which involves improving early grade literacy across primary schools, training teachers to enhance reading instruction for more than nine million teachers and providing support to TVETS in Kilifi, Mombasa, Nakuru and Machakos.

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Mbadi told the Senate that in governance, USAID set aside USD8.6 million to strengthen the institutional capacity of key democratic institutions through training and technical assistance, supporting ongoing civic and voter education.