State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed on Monday defended reports that the Executive Office of the President spent KSh2 million daily on printing and KSh1 billion on advisers, saying the costs reflect necessary standards and governance.
Mohamed said presidential documents are printed on archival paper designed to last more than a century.
“We still have executive orders signed by President Jomo Kenyatta that look as if they were signed yesterday,” he said. “Not your ordinary A4 — this is legacy paper meant to outlive presidents.”
On advisers, he insisted the President must be guided by experts to make sound decisions. “Those who undertake that work must be compensated accordingly,” he added.
The spending, flagged in the Controller of Budget’s annual report, has sparked sharp criticism from opposition leaders and the public, who accuse State House of wasteful expenditure at a time of economic hardship.
Some critics mocked the figures, likening State House to a “publishing house,” while others called the costs “daylight robbery.”
Between May and June alone, the presidency also withdrew KSh3.6 billion for travel, hospitality, and vehicle maintenance, further fueling public outrage.
