Mudavadi’s docket receives Sh300m more money than Gachagua’s office.
In the updated 2022/2023 public expenditure estimates, Treasury has given Mr. Mudavadi’s office Sh751.9 million for its recurrent budget, as opposed to Mr. Gachagua’s office receiving Sh450.85 million.
In the meantime, the mini-budget has boosted the allocation to the Office of the President by Sh8.35 billion.
The budget, whose creation was overseen by former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani, included Sh23.1 billion for the Office of the President, divided into Sh17.08 billion for ongoing expenses and Sh5.98 billion for development spending.
However, this has now been increased to Sh31.42 billion, of which Sh24.07 billion would go toward ongoing expenses and Sh7.35 billion toward construction costs.
In addition to filling in for President William Ruto, Gachagua also serves as chair of the Cabinet committees and is in charge of ensuring that decisions made by the Cabinet are carried out.
His additional responsibilities include leading the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council, overseeing numerous committees, and managing interactions between the two tiers of government.
The Public Service Performance Management Unit and the government delivery services are among the responsibilities of the Prime Cabinet Secretary.
Along with supporting the president and his deputy, Mudavadi’s responsibilities also include managing ministries and state agencies and working with Parliament to coordinate the government’s legislative agenda.
There have been allegations that Mudavadi and Gachagua are engaged in conflicts for supremacy.
The reports acquired notoriety as a result of a verbal confrontation between Mount Kenya and Western officials following Gachagua’s reading of the riot code to Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja on proposals to ban matatus from the city and tighten down on nightclubs.
Mudavadi, however, made it clear that he and the deputy president had no ill will against one another in an interview with The Standard two weeks ago.
“I don’t know where the narrative that I am in a tiff with the deputy president is coming from. I see my role as complementary. When you are in government, you work as a team and the DP and I are working as a team.
“If there are any cross-cutting issues, there are mechanisms of dialogue that we can use to resolve those issues. I know very well that I am assisting the president and the deputy president,” he said.
“Our roles are clearly defined.”
In the interview, Mudavadi denied rumors that he and Gachagua had a history of animosity.
Additionally, he refuted claims that he waged a covert campaign against the DP to remove him from the President Ruto succession plan.
