2025/26 Budget: Gov’t injects billions to strengthen police, military
The government has significantly boosted funding for the security sector in the 2025/2026 fiscal year, with the National Treasury allocating Ksh 464.8 billion—an increase of Ksh 87.3 billion from the previous year’s allocation of Ksh 377.5 billion.
While presenting the budget estimates to Parliament, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi highlighted that a safe and secure environment is a critical pillar for economic growth, attracting investment, and ensuring national stability.
The Cabinet Secretary stated that the funding increase is part of broader efforts to enhance the country’s internal and external security preparedness amid emerging threats and the ongoing Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
BUDGET BREAKDOWN – 2025/2026
- Defence: Ksh 202.3 billion
- National Police Service: Ksh 125.7 billion
- National Intelligence Service: Ksh 51.4 billion
- Internal Security & National Administration: Ksh 32.5 billion
- Prisons Services: Ksh 38.1 billion
- Police Motor Vehicle Leasing: Ksh 10.0 billion
- Police Modernization Programme: Ksh 3.6 billion
- National Forensic Facilities: Ksh 1.2 billion
IN COMPARISON, THE 2024/2025 BUDGET ALLOCATED:
- Defence: Ksh 173.1 billion
- National Police Service: Ksh 110.6 billion
- National Intelligence Service: Ksh 46.3 billion
- Prisons: Ksh 32.7 billion
- Police Leasing & Modernization: Ksh 13.9 billion
- Forensics: Ksh 918.4 million
The additional funding, according to Treasury, will facilitate the recruitment of more police, prison, and military personnel, the expansion of infrastructure, the modernization of equipment, and the digitization of services such as passport issuance and ID processing. Priority will also be given to the construction of housing and health facilities for security officers.
Mbadi reiterated that these investments are essential for safeguarding Kenya’s long-term development goals under Vision 2030 and the Fourth Medium-Term Plan.