Didmus Barasa Goes After Kalonzo’s VP Retirement Benefits
A major member of Kenya’s Kwanza administration has called for an audit of how public funds provided to former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka are being spent.
Didmus Barasa, a Kimilili MP, stated that public funds paid to retiring state officers must be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that they are used responsibly.
Speaking on KTN, Barasa emphasized that, like all public bodies receiving exchequer financing, Kalonzo’s allocation must be subject to periodic audits to ensure its legitimacy.
“Kalonzo Musyoka is paid some money as a retired vice president. We will begin to interrogate what he is using this money for so that he also contributes to the benefit of the country,” Barasa said on May 6.
“We will begin asking for a breakdown of how this money is being spent.”
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa has called for review of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s retirement benefits, suggesting that the former vice president should account for how the public funds he receives are being used.#starkenyanews pic.twitter.com/KfTYziuKQH
— TheStarKenya (@TheStarKenya) May 7, 2025
As a former vice president, Kalonzo, the leader of the Wiper Party, is eligible for a variety of State perks.
By law, the government provides former presidents, prime ministers, and vice presidents with monthly allowances to run their offices, pay staff, maintain official vehicles, fuel, cover travel expenses, and provide entertainment.
These benefits are in addition to monthly pensions of 80% of their prior earnings while in office.
The National Treasury has suggested major reductions in the privileges of retiring state officers, including Kalonzo.
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Kalonzo, Kenya’s vice president from 2008 to 2013, is set to have his allocation lowered by Sh28.4 million, from Sh81.36 million to Sh52.9 million, according to the 2025/26 budget estimates filed in Parliament.
The largest reduction will be in insurance, which is set to drop by Sh20 million, while domestic travel funding will decrease from Sh3.25 million to Sh2.06 million.
When asked about the proposed cuts, Barasa noted that the National Treasury had merely made a proposal, which would be subject to parliamentary review.
“We will interrogate the rationale, and if we are not satisfied with the explanation from the National Treasury, we shall restore the funds,” Barasa said during the KTN interview on Tuesday night.
Didmus Barasa Goes After Kalonzo’s VP Retirement Benefits
