Every military operation, infrastructure project and welfare programme begins long before boots hit the ground. Behind every deployment is a budget, and behind every budget is the responsibility to ensure public resources are spent wisely, lawfully and for the purpose they were intended for.
It is against this backdrop that Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE) holders from the Ministry of Defence and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) converged at the Moran Centre for a two-day Capacity Development Workshop on Public Finance Management for the 2026/2027 Financial Year.
The forum, held from 29 to 30 July 2026, brought together officers entrusted with managing public funds to sharpen their understanding of budget implementation, financial accountability, procurement and responsible utilisation of resources.
The workshop was presided over by the Chief of the Defence Forces, General Charles Kahariri, and attended by the Principal Secretary for Defence, Dr Patrick Mariru, Service Commanders, senior military officers and officials from the Ministry of Defence.
Addressing the participants, General Kahariri challenged AIE holders to remain faithful stewards of public resources, saying integrity and accountability must guide every financial decision made within the Defence Forces.
“Leadership is measured not by the resources we receive, but by the integrity, accountability and discipline with which we manage them,” the CDF said.
He reminded the officers that resources allocated to the Ministry must translate into stronger operational capability, improved welfare for Service personnel and better preparedness to respond to the country’s security needs.
While applauding the Ministry’s achievement of full budget absorption during the previous financial year, General Kahariri urged officers to maintain the momentum by implementing projects on time, reducing procurement delays and ensuring strict compliance with public finance and procurement laws.
He also called for investments that strengthen combat readiness, modernise military capability and deliver value for money.
Principal Secretary for Defence Dr Patrick Mariru echoed the CDF’s message, telling participants that accountability begins with every decision made by officers entrusted with public funds.
“Every shilling entrusted to the Ministry of Defence must deliver value to the soldier on the ground and remain fully accountable to the Kenyan people,” Dr Mariru said.
He urged AIE holders to work within approved budget ceilings, embrace Zero-Based Budgeting by focusing on genuine operational requirements and ensure every expenditure supports the Ministry’s strategic priorities.
Throughout the seminar, participants were taken through key areas of public finance management, including budget execution, procurement procedures, financial reporting, risk management and internal controls. The sessions focused on strengthening compliance with government financial regulations while promoting transparency, efficiency and responsible use of public resources.
As the seminar came to a close, one message remained consistent throughout the discussions: sound financial governance is as important to national defence as military capability itself.
By strengthening accountability and ensuring every resource is put to its intended use, the Ministry of Defence continues to build an institution that is operationally ready, financially disciplined and better equipped to safeguard the nation’s security.
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