Kenya spent an additional KSh1.86bn on upgrading its foreign missions in the year to June 2026, taking cumulative spending on the projects to KSh5.5bn against an estimated total cost of KSh9.34bn and leaving KSh3.84bn in outstanding bills.
The largest share of the annual outlay went to New York and London, which together absorbed KSh1.1bn or 59.2 per cent of the spending, with each city receiving KSh550m.
The New York redevelopment, budgeted at KSh2.5bn, involves demolishing the ambassador’s residence and building staff houses; by June 2026 the project was 22 per cent complete after spending KSh550m and still required another KSh1.95bn, with the department saying it was “the process of engaging a consultant to advise on zoning regulations, designs as per the required zoning and to seek approval”. The work, which started in July 2025, is expected to finish in December 2028.
The purchase of the chancery in London was fully completed after cumulative expenditure reached KSh2.67bn, making it the most expensive completed property in the department’s portfolio.
Across Africa the Foreign Affairs department spent KSh440m on Lusaka, Addis Ababa and Kinshasa. Lusaka received KSh170m for refurbishing government properties and converting two buildings into 12 staff houses, with a staff house and a water tower completed. Addis Ababa was allocated KSh150m for repairs to the chancery and ambassador’s residence, CCTV installation and gatehouse upgrades; the first phase was 42.8 per cent complete after spending KSh214.2m against a KSh500m budget. Kinshasa saw an extra KSh120m spent, bringing cumulative outlay to KSh147.1m against a KSh600m budget, and the department linked the additional cost to damage from political unrest in January 2025, noting “the mission was attacked during the recent political riots in the host country where the Chancery was vandalised”.
Other locations recorded limited progress. In Paris, KSh50m was spent on roof repairs against a KSh300m budget, with only 16.7 per cent of the work finished. Mogadishu spent KSh56.7m of a KSh134m allocation, 42.3 per cent complete, having finished external refurbishment, two security watchtowers and grounds, while construction of one watchtower, a security barrier and perimeter wall repair continued. Stockholm’s cumulative spending reached KSh20m of a KSh70m budget, 28.6 per cent complete, covering roof leak repairs and painting at the ambassador’s residence. Beijing’s KSh50m renovation was 30 per cent complete, involving plumbing, roof and painting works.
Outstanding balances across the listed projects totalled KSh3.84bn, led by New York’s KSh1.95bn, followed by Lusaka’s KSh397.9m, Addis Ababa’s KSh285.8m and Paris’s KSh250m.
Parliamentary bodies have previously questioned the value for money of Kenya’s diplomatic footprint; the Parliament Budget Office urged consideration of honorary consuls as a lower-cost alternative, the advisory unit on fiscal matters recommended hiring consulates and liaison officers instead of full embassies, and the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industrialisation and Cooperatives noted in a 2024 report that trade offices “are not achieving value for money” and consume resources without measurable export gains.
