Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi is on the spot over the Treasury’s decision to channel Ksh4.5 billion from the Tourism Promotion Fund toward renovating Bomas of Kenya—a project lawmakers say has already been fully financed.
The National Assembly’s Tourism and Wildlife Committee has blocked the approval of the 2025/26 Tourism Fund budget, insisting on a full breakdown of how the funds will be used before giving the green light.
At the center of the storm is a directive by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, who earmarked the Ksh4.5 billion for the Bomas facelift, despite the project already receiving Ksh31.6 billion in funding from Turkish firm Summa Turizm Yatirimciligi Sirketi.
Lawmakers voiced strong opposition to the allocation, demanding clarity on why taxpayers should shoulder extra costs.
“The Tourism Promotion Fund is meant to support tourism development—not projects that fall outside our mandate,” said Committee Chair Kareke Mbiuki.
“We are not prepared to approve the budget until we have a clear understanding of the programmes these funds will support.”
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano echoed the committee’s concerns, telling MPs that she had already raised the issue with CS Mbadi.
“I’ve formally sought clarification from the Treasury,” Miano said, voicing her unease with the vague financial directive.
Parliament Questions Bomas Billions as Tourism Institutions Crumble
The committee further challenged the allocation’s legality, pointing out that Bomas of Kenya falls under the Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts, and Heritage, not the Ministry of Tourism, which typically oversees tourism sector projects.
Meanwhile, core institutions that directly support Kenya’s tourism ecosystem remain underfunded and stalled.
One glaring example is the Ronald Ngala Utalii College in Kilifi County. Billed as a cornerstone for hospitality training in Kenya, the college remains unfinished more than 10 years after construction began. Originally slated for completion in 2019, the project continues to face funding shortfalls and delays.
Lawmakers also flagged underfunding at the Tourism Research Institute, a key agency responsible for analyzing tourism trends and guiding national strategy. The committee criticized the imbalance, noting that even as tourism brings in billions, the sector’s backbone institutions remain starved of resources.
In 2023, tourism generated Ksh452.2 billion, with earnings expected to climb to Ksh560 billion this year, according to Treasury data.
Now, MPs are calling for transparency and accountability in how funds are allocated. They warn that funneling money into questionable projects while neglecting essential infrastructure could undermine Kenya’s tourism future.
“We need to understand the priorities of the government. Why are we using funds meant for tourism development on a project that is already being financed by a private company?” Mbuki questioned.
