KENYA SECURITY POSTURE: KENYA DEFENCE FORCE ALLOCATED BIG SHARE IN MBADIS BUDGET

KENYA SECURITY MISSION MANDATED BY THE UNITED NATIONS

In his maiden budget since assuming office, treasury cabinet secretary john mbadi has allocated a record-breaking 450 billion shillings to Kenya’s security sector, the largest share of the 2025/2026 national budget. The allocation underscores the government’s priority on national stability, internal peace, and regional defense, even as economic pressures continue to mount.

Unveiling the 4.29 trillion shilling budget before parliament cs mbadi said the substantial allocation to security affirms the ruto administration’s commitment to safeguarding kenya’s sovereignty and protecting its people.

“A secure environment is the foundation for prosperity. This budget secures kenya’s future.” Mbadi said

The kenya defence forces received the lion’s share of 202.3 billion shillings to support military operations, modernization of barracks, acquisition of new equipment, and local defence manufacturing.

Part of the funds geared toward strengthening kenya shipyards and the kenya space agency, while the defence university and air support department will benefit from targeted allocations for training and aerial surveillance.

The national police service was allocated 125.7 billion shillings. This includes 10 billion for leasing new patrol vehicles, and 3.6 billion shillings to modernize policing tools, including body cameras, communications equipment, and command systems.

The national intelligence service received 51.4 billion shillings, the funding meant to expand surveillance, cybercrime operations, and regional intelligence work.

Internal security and national administration were allocated 32.5 billion shillings, targeting county-level security coordination, crisis response, and public administration. Meanwhile, the prisons department received 38.1 billion to improve infrastructure, welfare, and rehabilitation programmes.

The 450 billion shillings’ security allocation cements Kenya’s focus on safety and stability as the foundation for economic recovery. The treasury says the investments are aligned with the bottom-up economic transformation agenda beta, and are expected to strengthen Kenya’s regional leadership on matters of peace and security.

With Kenya now recognized as a strategic security partner to nato and a key player in Africa’s stability architecture, the massive defence budget has been interpreted as a response to escalating global and regional threats.

The ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, which has destabilized shipping routes in the red sea and heightened tensions in the gulf region, has sparked concern among global allies including Kenya over the need for heightened readiness.

The Kenyan security forces increasingly find themselves at the heart of global peace operations, most notably in Haiti, where Kenya is leading a multinational security mission mandated by the United Nations.

With over 1,000 Kenyan police and specialized units deployed to restore order in Port-au-Prince, the 2025/2026 security budget has been designed to meet the demands of international deployment as well as domestic security readiness.

With the global spotlight on Kenya, from Somalia to Haiti, and from the red sea to the great lakes region, the heavy security spending signals not just a defensive posture, but a strategic pivot towards international responsibility.