How The president’s advisors drain 1 billion from tax payers 

How The president’s advisors drain 1 billion from tax payers

President William Ruto’s administration is under fresh scrutiny after revelations emerged that a ballooning team of presidential advisers is consuming billions of shillings from public coffers—despite earlier promises of a lean government.

According to sources and documentation reviewed by The Standard, Ruto now has at least 20 high-ranking advisers, some of whom operate with privileges and salaries equivalent to Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) and Principal Secretaries (PSs).

These advisers who serve in portfolios such as economic affairs, political strategy, climate change, and legal matters have collectively drained the exchequer of over Ksh 1 billion annually, translating to nearly Ksh 20 billion over the duration of a full five-year presidential term.

Analysts and opposition leaders argue that the President already has access to CSs, PSs, and technocrats across ministries, making many of these advisory roles unnecessary.

Despite the President’s initial austerity pledge to cut down on the number of advisers to reduce public spending, the State House budget has seen significant increases.

Insiders indicate that in addition to salaries, the advisers’ offices are allocated generous operational budgets, including allowances, staff, travel expenses, and luxury vehicles.

“Some of these advisers wield more influence than actual CSs, yet there is little public transparency on their performance or deliverables,” noted a senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Among those on the advisory payroll are high-profile political allies and long-time associates of the President, raising concerns over political patronage and the use of taxpayer money for rewarding loyalty rather than expertise.

Civil society organizations and economic watchdogs are now demanding accountability and a full audit of the presidential advisory roles and their impact on governance.

With Kenyans already burdened by rising taxes and a ballooning public debt, the revelation of a potentially wasteful advisory structure has fueled public frustration.

Calls are mounting for Parliament to intervene and for the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to reevaluate the structure and necessity of these advisory appointments.