While Kenyans tighten their belts under the weight of new taxes, the executive is flying high—literally. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s office has emerged as a top spender, blowing through KES 1.34 billion in just the first three months of the 2025/2026 financial year.

This figure represents a staggering 44.9% of the office’s total annual recurrent budget of KES 2.97 billion. At this burn rate, the DP’s office will be broke by March, necessitating yet another supplementary budget request to Parliament.

The Chopper Bill

A deep dive into the Treasury documents reveals where the money is going. The itemized list reads like a luxury travel brochure:

• Helicopter Charters: KES 150.2 million allocated.
• Commercial Flights: KES 144 million.
• Private Chartered Planes: KES 44.6 million.

In total, nearly KES 340 million is earmarked for air travel alone. This stands in stark contrast to the government’s stated policy of cutting non-essential travel.

Comparison with Gachagua

The political undertones of this spending are unavoidable. In the same period during his tenure, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua spent only KES 331.8 million—roughly 12.8% of his budget. Kindiki is spending at four times the rate of his impeached predecessor.

Critics argue that the surge in spending is tied to Kindiki’s aggressive nationwide "empowerment" tours, which function as soft campaigning. "You cannot claim to be solving the country's economic problems while flying over them in a helicopter paid for by the poor," said an economist who requested anonymity.

With the Controller of Budget already raising red flags, the DP’s office faces tough questions. Is this service delivery, or is it a taxpayer-funded campaign trail?