By Janet Nyamwamu
The State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs has defended its revised budget under the Financial Year 2025/2026 Supplementary Estimates I, highlighting an additional Sh100 million allocation to support staff salaries at the Bandari Maritime Academy (BMA).
Principal Secretary Aden Millah, appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, said the department’s total budget has increased from Sh5.684 billion to Sh5.754 billion.
Millah explained that the revised estimates are primarily driven by the additional allocation to cater for personnel costs at the Bandari Maritime Academy.
“The department received an additional Sh100 million to support salaries for BMA staff,” he said.
The funding boost underscores the government’s effort to sustain operations at the academy, which plays a central role in training skilled manpower for Kenya’s growing maritime sector and the broader blue economy agenda.
The revised budget reflects an increase in recurrent expenditure from Sh3.459 billion to Sh3.529 billion, while development expenditure remains unchanged at Sh2.225 billion.
The department operates through key agencies, including the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), the Kenya National Shipping Line (KNSL), and the Bandari Maritime Academy (BMA), all of which are critical to advancing the country’s maritime capabilities.
The parliamentary committee sought detailed justification for the additional expenditure, including its impact on ongoing programmes, performance targets, and pending bills.
Lawmakers are expected to closely scrutinise the Sh100 million allocation, as Parliament continues to examine rising recurrent expenditure across government institutions.
However, the State Department maintains that the adjustment is necessary to sustain operations and strengthen human resource capacity within the maritime sector.
The committee, chaired by George Kariuki, also sought assurances that the additional funding would not crowd out critical development projects, especially amid heightened parliamentary oversight of supplementary spending.
Members further pressed the department to clarify whether the allocation points to gaps in previous budgeting, and to provide details on staffing levels and the long-term sustainability of the academy’s operations.
The additional funding, Millah said, will support the government’s broader strategy of positioning the blue economy as a key driver of economic growth, job creation, and international competitiveness.