MPs and State officers use Sh20bn on travel

MPs splashed Sh2.3 billion on domestic travels, the report shows. FILE PHOTO | NMG  

By NEVILLE OTUKI

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Summary

• Ministry officials, Judiciary MPs and staff in the devolved units spent Sh5 billion more on trips compared to the Sh15 billion spent on travel in a similar period a year earlier.
• Counties spent Sh8.59 billion on domestic and foreign trips as luxury spending by the devolved units continues to hurt development.
• The Presidency spent Sh180.2 million on foreign trips from Sh167.2 million in a similar period a year earlier.

Members of Parliament, counties and national government officials used Sh20 billion on foreign and domestic trips in the nine months to March as the State struggles to curb wastage and put money in projects.

The Controller of Budget report shows that ministries’ officials, Judiciary MPs and staff in the devolved units spent Sh5 billion more on trips compared to the Sh15 billion spent on travel in a similar period a year earlier.

The central government and parliament spent Sh11.5 billion on foreign and domestic trips, up from Sh8 billion in similar period a year earlier.

Counties spent Sh8.59 billion on domestic and foreign trips as luxury spending by the devolved units continues to hurt development. They had spent Sh7.15 billion in a similar period a year earlier.

READ: Counties spend Sh8bn on trips in nine months

Austerity calls

The report comes amid persistent calls by the Treasury for austerity to free up cash for development and provision of basic services such as health, education and food security.

Domestic trips took 60 per cent of the Sh11.5 billion travel bill or Sh6.9 billion in the period between July 2016 and March.

Foreign trips bill stood at Sh4.6 billion, having grown 70.3 per cent from Sh2.7 billion in the review period, underlining government officials’ appetite for foreign trips.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs leads the pack in overseas travels with a budget of Sh1.2 billion, followed by MPs at Sh1.1 billion from Sh497.8 billion, more than two-fold growth.

The MPs splashed Sh2.3 billion on domestic travels, the report shows.

The legislators have in the past defended their travel sprees as necessary to benchmark best practices.

Uhuru's trips

The Presidency – comprising the offices of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto – spent Sh180.2 million on foreign trips from Sh167.2 million in a similar period a year earlier.

Mr Kenyatta’s foreign trips have recently come under scrutiny even as the Presidency maintains that a majority of the travels serve to attract mega investments by boosting Kenya’s global visibility, unlock capital inflows and generate employment opportunities.

READ: Presidency tops as ministries blow Sh2bn on entertainment

Recent Nairobi visits by top global leaders including Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, have been cited as fruits of Mr Kenyatta’s reach to the outside world.

The large entourages have, however, raised eyebrows since the president is often flanked by senior officials and security detail who draw hefty allowances.

Senior members of a presidential delegation are, for instance, reported to receive a daily out-of-pocket allowance of up to $400 (about Sh41,200) while the government pays for their food and accommodation.