'No justice, no budget': social media erupts as Mbadi unveils Sh4.29 trillion budget

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi. [File, Standard]

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi’s presentation of the Sh4.29 trillion national budget sparked a storm of praise and protest across social media, with users on X expressing sharply divided views on its contents and context.

Suna East MP Junet Mohamed was among the first to publicly applaud Mbadi’s delivery of the 2025/26 budget, framing it as a turning point for Kenya’s recovery.

“The budget’s structural reforms will spur economic recovery and growth, sustaining Kenya’s trajectory towards an all-inclusive, equal and prosperous nation,” said Mohamed.

Mbadi, a newcomer to the Treasury portfolio, presented the fiscal plan to Parliament on Thursday, June 12.

He described it as a growth blueprint built around the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, with a strong focus on education, health, infrastructure and job creation.

However, as he read the statement, users on X posted videos and photos of protests outside the Treasury building in Nairobi.

“Kenyans are currently demonstrating outside the Treasury building, where Treasury CS John Mbadi is expected to read the budget. No justice, no budget,” said one user, posting under the name @Ammar_Kassim8.

Others accused the government of ignoring urgent social grievances while touting figures.

“As John Mbadi reads the national budget today, we must ask: what value does a budget hold in a nation where citizens are murdered in cold blood by the very institutions meant to protect them?” said United Democratic Alliance Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni.

“Roads, figures and fiscal projections mean nothing when justice is denied and human life is treated as expendable,” he added.

The online debate reflected broader concerns over police brutality, inequality and economic hardship, with the timing of the budget coinciding with public outcry over Albert Ojwang’s death in custody.

Mbadi said the government had steered clear of new taxes, aiming instead to boost domestic revenues and cut waste.

“There is no new tax in this budget,” wrote @FrankMtetezi. “Rumour mongers were all over with propaganda about bread, milk and unga tax increment. The fact is there are no new taxes.”

Another user, @Appolinarism, supported the budget’s focus on job creation and local investment.

“With Ksh3.32 trillion in revenue and a Ksh923.2 billion deficit, we are funding the plan to create jobs, grow SMEs and reduce poverty,” said the post.

In Parliament, Mbadi said education received the largest allocation at Sh702.7 billion, including Sh387.2 billion for the Teachers Service Commission, Sh51.9 billion for free day secondary education, and Sh41.5 billion for higher education loans.

The health sector got Sh138.1 billion, including Sh13.1 billion for primary healthcare and Sh17.3 billion for Global Fund programmes addressing HIV, malaria and tuberculosis.

Mbadi also noted that over 22 million Kenyans had registered with the new Social Health Authority.

At the same time, counties will get Sh474.9 billion, roads and energy Sh318.1 billion, and the affordable housing programme Sh120.2 billion. Security agencies are set to receive Sh464.9 billion.