John Mbadi’s presentation of the 2025/26 budget on Thursday, 12 June 2025, has left many Kenyans disappointed and concerned.
One of the most alarming parts of this budget is the silent approval of a surveillance agenda that threatens the digital privacy of millions of citizens.
Instead of focusing on public welfare, Mbadi and the National Assembly have allowed massive allocations to institutions like the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to acquire intrusive tools that operate in the shadows.
A fresh Sh100 million has been injected into DCI’s forensic lab specifically for purchasing and deploying Optimus 3.0, a spyware suite capable of penetrating personal devices, reading encrypted messages, and watching social media activity.
This tool is not just any regular software it is a next-generation spyware system built to quietly monitor people’s phones and computers without their knowledge.
With such a powerful tool which will be in the hands of the State, the government will essentially be watching what people write, say, or post online.
What’s even worse is that this funding was passed in a budget that had no public consultation and no clear legal protections. There was no effort to explain to the public why this spyware is necessary or how their rights would be protected.
The situation gets worse with the Kenya Information and Communication (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which Parliament is now set to debate.
This law, if passed, will give the Cabinet Secretary for Information the authority to demand data from telecom companies, internet providers, and other digital service operators. It gives the government a legal path to collect user information without going through the courts.
This kind of power goes against the freedom of speech and digital privacy that Kenyans have worked hard to build and protect.
John Mbadi, as the one who read out this budget, must take responsibility. He cannot pretend to be unaware of the weight such funding carries, especially when it empowers institutions to snoop on citizens.
The public expected leadership that would fight for more accountability, not one that hides surveillance programs inside national budgets. Former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi is among those who have called this out, saying that this is a move to return Kenya to a time of dictatorship and oppression. Muturi warned that what is happening now is not just about spyware it’s about legalising what the State is already doing without permission.
On top of this, the Media Council of Kenya has been given Sh300 million to monitor and regulate content. This, too, raises questions about whether the State is trying to create a parallel system of media control to silence dissent. The Bill also proposes changes that would force internet service providers to install metered systems to monitor and charge users based on their consumption. This would allow the government to track detailed data usage for every user, further raising fears of control and surveillance.
Even more painful is the fact that all this is being done while essential services suffer. For example, the National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya has had its funding slashed by Ksh.400 million. That money could have gone to helping the most vulnerable, but instead, it has been redirected to support a surveillance system that targets ordinary citizens.
In a time when Kenyans are struggling with high costs of living, rising taxes, and shrinking public services, John Mbadi and the Budget Committee have chosen to spend on tools that monitor the very people they are supposed to serve.
