Ruto allocates more funds to sectors likely to win him votes in 2027

President William Ruto is placing a high-stakes bet on the country’s security forces and teachers in his final full-year budget before the August 2027 general election, seeking to solidify core voter blocs even as pressure mounts over his economic record. 

The newly released 2026-27 recurrent expenditure estimates show a government prioritising “recurrent votes” – which fund salaries and daily operations – to deliver immediate, visible impact. 

With 16 months until the polls, the strategy offers a clear signal of his re-election priorities. 

A review of the proposed Sh4.87 trillion budget shows that a huge chunk of allocations will go to recurrent expenditure even as the National Treasury targets a record Sh1.1 trillion in domestic borrowing to bridge an anticipated deficit. Most of the recurrent expenditure will be borne by the national government, largely by the Executive, which plans to spend Sh3.54 trillion on salaries, operational costs, pensions and debt servicing.

If approved by Parliament, that would mark an increase from the Sh3.13 trillion allocated in the 2025-26 budget. 

According to the estimates tabled in Parliament, the Executive will be allocated Sh2.817 trillion, of which Sh1.98 trillion will go to recurrent expenditure. 

The Ministry of Defence’s net recurrent budget climbs to Sh231.19 billion, up from Sh213.99 billion previously, according to the document. The sharp increase is due to salary hikes for police, prison, National Youth Service (NYS) and military officers, as well as civil servants. 

The National Police Service sees a significant boost to Sh144.12 billion, compared to Sh134.19 billion last year. The State Department for Correctional Services also gains, rising to Sh41.7 billion from Sh38.7 billion. In a pre-election cycle, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) maintains a formidable presence with a projected Sh58.62 billion for 2026/27. These allocations signal that President Ruto is prioritising national stability as the country enters a potentially volatile election season, economic analysts say. 

In what appears to be a response to public outcry over lavish spending since Ruto took office in 2022, the Executive Office of the President will see its net recurrent expenditure reduce to Sh5.8 billion, down from Sh6.85 billion.

State House has been allocated Sh12.6 billion compared to Sh16.3 billion in 2025-26. The Office of the Deputy President will also drop to Sh3.57 billion from Sh5.1 billion, while the Prime Cabinet Secretary’s office gets Sh839.9 million, up from Sh628.9 million.

The State Department for Public Service and Human Capital will see its budget rise to Sh21.4 billion, up from Sh19.1 billion. 

In a direct appeal to one of the country’s most influential professional classes, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) remains the single largest recipient of recurrent funding. The commission’s net expenditure is set to rise nearly Sh11 billion to Sh420.91 billion, up from Sh409.56 billion the previous year. 

This sustained support for education is seen by observers as an effort to deliver on campaign pledges to recruit more teachers and improve welfare. 

The government is currently implementing salary increases for police, prisons and NYS officers, as well as the wider civil service. The increase saw constables – the lowest-ranking officers – become entitled to Sh57,700, up from Sh38,975, while the basic salary for the highest-serving officers rose to Sh345,850 from Sh289,090.

The increment will be implemented over three years beginning in the 2024/25 financial year. Kenya Prisons Service senior officers will, from July 1, see salaries rise to between Sh301,548 and Sh584,903, while the lowest cadre officers will receive a pay increase to between Sh26,222 and Sh37,912. 

Further, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) last December approved a pay hike for civil servants in the 2025-2029 cycle, with the first phase set to begin on July 1, requiring the Treasury to spend Sh47.8 billion. 

In the 2026-27 fiscal plan, only Sh749 billion has been proposed to fund infrastructure, public projects and other long-term investments. 

As President Ruto seeks a second term, this pre-election budget reveals his calculation that a better-funded security apparatus and a satisfied teaching civil service workforce are essential to securing a successful re-election, insiders said.