Reducing the Size of Kenya’s Government: A Path to Efficiency and Sustainability

Kenya's government is bloated, inefficient, and unsustainably expensive. The country’s wage bill and operational costs are consuming an overwhelming portion of national resources, leaving little room for development. Over 70% of the 2025/26 GoK budget is for recurrent expenditure—absurd! Yet, instead of focusing on cutting unnecessary spending, kakistocrats want to expand government with a PM’s office. This is not only wasteful but also an insult to hardworking taxpayers who continue to bear the brunt of a struggling economy. If there’s a referendum, it should be to reduce government at all levels!

To achieve a leaner, more efficient government, several areas need urgent reform.

1. Merging Ministries and State Departments

One of the biggest contributors to government inefficiency is the unnecessary duplication of roles across ministries. Some ministries, such as Mining and Energy, or Transport and Public Works, have overlapping mandates and could be merged to cut costs. A leaner government would mean fewer Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and other senior officials, leading to significant budget savings.

2. Rationalizing Parastatals and State Agencies

Kenya has hundreds of parastatals, many of which perform redundant roles. The 2013 Presidential Taskforce on Parastatal Reforms recommended merging or dissolving some, but implementation has been slow. Agencies such as concerned with tertiary level education funding could be consolidated into a single education financing entity and bursury funds eliminated; and put into the education financing entity. Similarly, parastatals that generate revenue should be self-sustaining instead of relying on taxpayer funding.

3. Cutting Down on Government Commissions

Kenya has multiple constitutional commissions, some of which were created for temporary purposes but still exist. For instance, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and Public Service Commission (PSC) could be merged to avoid duplication. Additionally, the number of independent commissions should be reviewed to determine their actual necessity.

4. Reducing Salaries and Allowances of Top Officials

Kenyan MPs, Cabinet Secretaries, and even the President and Deputy President earn OUTRAGEOUSLY high salaries and allowances compared to other countries with similar economies. A 2024 report ranked the Kenyan President as highest paid world leader by GDP ratio. 

On the other hand, MPs, for example, receive sitting allowances despite the fact that attending Parliament is their job! Reducing their pay and eliminating unnecessary perks, such as travel and entertainment allowances, would save billions annually, consequently reducing our recurrent expenditure.

5. Streamlining the National Police Service (NPS)

Despite previous police reforms, there are still cases of redundancy, especially between the Administration Police (AP) and Kenya Police Service (KPS). Some specialized units overlap in their roles, leading to inefficiencies. A clearer division of responsibilities and restructuring of command structures would ensure a leaner, more effective force.

6. Reducing Government Fleet Costs

Senior GoK officials have access to multiple high-end government vehicles with unlimited fuel budgets and full-time drivers. Cutting the number of government-owned luxury vehicles, capping fuel consumption, and enforcing shared transport policies could lead to significant savings.

7. Cutting Down on Foreign Travel

GoK officials frequently take large delegations on foreign trips, often with little tangible benefit. Look at the recently concluded AUC elections where 100 MPs accompanied the Kenyan AUC Chairmanship candidate to Addis Ababa for 'support.' Ridiculous, right? A strict cap on the number of delegates per trip, increased use of virtual meetings, and prioritization of essential trips only would reduce wastage.

8. Enhancing County-Level Accountability

County government officials are also reckless spenders, with some using over 60% of their budgets on salaries rather than development. Governors MUST be held accountable, and strict limits should be placed on wage-to-development expenditure ratios to ensure counties deliver services instead of just paying salaries.

Kenya cannot afford an ever-expanding government that drains public resources while delivering little in return, and frankly it is very uninspiring to pay taxes when all you see is wastage. 

Instead of creating unnecessary offices such as the Prime Minister’s position, etc efforts should be directed at reducing the size of government, eliminating redundancy, and prioritizing efficiency. A bloated government serves only the political elite, not the citizens, and if this is not checked citizens may in future react in a not so civil manner. If there is to be a referendum, it should focus on reducing government, not expanding it!

Watching what Pres. Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing for the US people by checking the size and expenditure of US GOV has been one of the most inspiring things I have seen since I took interest in statecraft. 

I hope the same is done in governments around the world, especially Kenya.