Staff exits loom at DP Kindiki's office as Sh95m set for gratuity payments

A wave of departures is expected at the Office of the Deputy President as Kenya edges closer to its next general election cycle, with budget documents revealing that Sh95.4 million has been earmarked to cover gratuity obligations for outgoing staff.

The allocation, embedded in the office's expenditure estimates, signals that a significant number of political appointees and contract staff tied to Deputy President Kithure Kindiki are preparing to exit ahead of the August 2027 polls. Gratuity packages in government are typically triggered when fixed-term contracts lapse or when staff opt for voluntary departure.

In Kenya's political landscape, the period preceding a general election routinely triggers reshuffles at senior offices as loyalties shift, coalitions are renegotiated, and individuals position themselves for new roles either within campaigns or in other state institutions. The DP's office has undergone structural changes since Kindiki assumed the position in October 2022 following the removal of Rigathi Gachagua through an impeachment motion in Parliament.

Kindiki, a former University of Nairobi law professor and one-time Senate Majority Leader, has worked to establish his own political identity within the Kenya Kwanza administration. As the 2027 race begins to take shape, questions over running-mate arrangements and intra-coalition dynamics are already influencing staffing decisions across the executive.

The Sh95.4 million figure represents a notable line item in public expenditure for what is essentially an administrative transition driven by electoral politics. Civil society groups and budget analysts have previously raised concerns about the cost of political appointments in Kenya's presidential system, where cabinet and advisory positions frequently turn over with each election cycle. Parliament is expected to scrutinise the estimates during upcoming budget hearings.