Greetings and welcome to the eighth Money Weekly Roundup of 2025! 

President William Ruto has reshuffled his administration, appointing 14 new Principal Secretaries (PSs), reassigning six, and creating five new state departments. Meanwhile, the government is proposing a Road Toll Policy that could introduce tolls on both new and existing roads to raise Ksh4.8 trillion for infrastructure funding.

On pensions, most workers in private schemes are facing extra NSSF deductions due to delayed approval for offsets. Meanwhile, teachers have lost millions in a fake TSC hiring scam, and the High Court has overturned a government ad policy that restricted public sector advertising to KBC.

As always, we’ve included some of our favourite personal finance articles in our Finance Tips section below.

Let’s dive in.

NEWS RECAP

What happened this week

🚨 Ruto’s Major PS Reshuffle
President William Ruto has restructured his administration:
 🔹 14 new Principal Secretaries (PSs) nominated.
 🔹 6 PSs reassigned, with some demoted or moved to advisory roles.
 🔹 5 new state departments created.

Notably, Prof. Edwin Kisiangani was dropped as PS in ICT and reassigned as a Senior Economic Advisor to the President. Belio Kipsang and Julius Bitok swapped roles, while former Trade PS Alfred K’Ombudo was posted as Deputy Head of Mission in Brussels.

🛣️ Road Toll Policy to Raise Ksh4.8 Trillion
The government plans to introduce tolls on more roads:
 🔹 Tolls will apply to new, upgraded, and even existing two-lane roads.
 🔹 Aims to raise Ksh4.8T for road development and maintenance.
 🔹 Proposed fines: Ksh50,000 or six months in jail for toll evasion.
Toll payments may be linked to insurance renewals, with private operators managing collection under a dedicated Toll Fund.

⛽ Fuel Prices Unchanged Until April 14
EPRA has kept fuel prices steady in Nairobi:
 🔹 Petrol: Ksh176.58/litre
 🔹 Diesel: Ksh167.06/litre
 🔹 Kerosene: Ksh151.39/litre
Prices will remain unchanged until mid-April.

🏥 Govt Threatens Hospitals that Refuse to treat SHA Beneficiaries

Private hospitals are demanding Ksh30B in unpaid NHIF claims. Some have suspended services under the new Social Health Authority (SHA). Health PS Harry Kimtai warned:
 🔹 Hospitals refusing to offer outpatient services risk deregistration.
 🔹 Claims over Ksh10M must be verified, with some dating back to 2016.
 🔹 The government disbursed Ksh32M in Embu County under SHA, split between public and private hospitals.

🏗️ MPs Question Funding for Bomas of Kenya Upgrade
A planned upgrade of Bomas of Kenya into a modern conference centre faces scrutiny:
 🔹 MPs cite lack of transparency on funding and timelines.
 🔹 The project was not included in the latest budget documents.
 🔹 A previous contract with Summa Construction, which proposed financing 80% of the project, was terminated.

💰 Private Pension Contributors Face Higher Costs
Most workers in private pension schemes are paying more after failing to secure approval to offset higher NSSF deductions. The Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) states:
 🔹 Only 38% of private schemes got approval.
 🔹 Some workers are paying up to Ksh3,840 extra monthly.
 🔹 Employers without approval must also match the higher deductions.

📉 KUSCCO’s Recovery Plan for Ksh6.16B Lost in Fraud Scandal
KUSCCO is restructuring to recover 70% of the Ksh8.8B lost:
 🔹 Selling a 60% stake in KUSCCO Mutual Assurance.
 🔹 Auctioning houses from failed real estate projects.
 🔹 Recovering defaulted loans from SACCOs.
 🔹 So far, Ksh136M has been refunded to small SACCOs, with full repayment expected in 5 years.

🚨 Fake TSC Recruitment Scam Costs Teachers Millions
Jobless teachers in Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Uasin Gishu lost over Ksh3M in a fake Teachers Service Commission (TSC) hiring scam:
 🔹 Victims sold land and took loans for fake job offers.
 🔹 One teacher lost Ksh100K, another Ksh120K.
 🔹 Fake posting letters were issued before the scam was uncovered.
 🔹 Key suspects have gone into hiding.

⚖️ High Court Overturns KBC-Only Government Ad Policy
The High Court has nullified a directive restricting public advertising to KBC:
 🔹 Judge Lawrence Mugambi ruled the March 7, 2024, memo illegal.
 🔹 The directive violated procurement laws and lacked stakeholder consultation.
 🔹 The ruling allows ministries and state corporations to advertise across multiple media outlets.

📜 RBA Pushes for Pension Law Changes
The Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) is proposing:
 🔹 Limiting early pension withdrawals.
 🔹 Giving KRA powers to collect unremitted pension deductions.
 🔹 Addressing Ksh57B in unpaid pension arrears and Ksh12B in lost investment income.
Currently, only 38% of pension schemes are approved to handle NSSF deductions due to past legal uncertainties.

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MONEY TIPS & TOOLS

This week’s finance tips

Welcome to Money254's Money Tips! Here, we share quick and easy tips that make understanding and managing your money a breeze. We break down the tricky parts of your finances and the financial landscape, making it simple and clear for you. Stay tuned for helpful tips every week.

MONEY254 #MONEYTOK OF THE WEEK

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If you were offered 80% of your current salary to move to a smaller town or "ushago", would you take the deal? One of our writers shared insights from observing his cousin, who moved from Nairobi to a small town — and how that shift changed his finances.

Here is what to consider before making the move

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𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐔𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐠𝐨! If you were offered 80% of your current salary to move to a smaller town or "ushago", would you t... See more

That’s a wrap for this week’s Money Weekly!

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Tony and the Money254 editorial team.