- Mwaura denied claims that his office received Ksh.36 billion in the 2025/26 budget.
- He said the entire budget doesn’t even reach Ksh 100 million.
- TISA boss Gichengo had questioned rising travel spending under the presidency.
- Mwaura accused her of using falsehoods to attract donor attention.
- He warned against fake news that could trigger protests or public anger.
Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has responded sharply to reports suggesting that his office was awarded a massive Ksh.36 billion in the upcoming national budget, calling the claims untrue and meant to mislead Kenyans.
Mwaura, during a press conference, addressed Diana Gichengo, the Executive Director of The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA), who had earlier claimed on the radio that the Spokesperson’s office had received the huge allocation. Mwaura expressed shock at the numbers, saying they were completely made up.
“Diana Gichengo, why would you say that on national radio? My office doesn’t even get Ksh.100 million,” Mwaura said, adding that such statements are “total lies.”
Accusations, Warnings, and the Need for Truth
The TISA boss had questioned the government’s talk on cost-cutting during an interview on Spice FM. She argued that while the state says it is reducing spending, some departments — including the one under Mwaura — were still receiving more funds, especially for travel and operations.
“They say the Office of the President has been cut to Ksh 5.5 billion, but it’s been scattered across several units. Some of it ended up under the Spokesperson’s travel budget,” she said, claiming the figure jumped from Ksh.19.2 billion to Ksh.36 billion.
But Mwaura rubbished these remarks, accusing her of using false information to appeal to foreign donors and paint a negative image of the government.
“You are chasing donor money with lies. I asked for a right of reply and was ignored,” he said, urging leaders to stick to facts when addressing the public.
He further cautioned that spreading unverified claims online could lead to dangerous public reactions, similar to last year’s Finance Bill protests.
“Let’s not push this country back into chaos. We won’t allow another moment like that,” he warned.
Although he welcomed public involvement in national matters, Mwaura urged citizens to follow official processes. He reminded the public that the submission window for the 2025 Finance Bill closed on May 27, but encouraged people to continue engaging in meaningful discussions using correct information.
