Moi foreign trips budget slashed to half in review
Former President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
The Treasury has cut the former president Daniel Moi's foreign travel budget to Sh3.7 million against the initial Sh7.3 million.
The mini-budget has, however, increased his local travel budget by Sh1.5 million to Sh3.6 million.
The Treasury has cut in half former President Daniel arap Moi’s foreign travel allocation in the revised budget in measures to cut non-essential spending.
The mini-budget has cut the former president’s foreign travel budget to Sh3.7 million against the initial Sh7.3 million, a rare step given the lavish retirement benefits offered to Mr Moi and his successor, Mwai Kibaki.
But the Treasury increased his local travel budget by Sh1.5 million to Sh3.6 million.
The drop in the travel budget comes as the Treasury moves to implement austerity policy in public offices to free up cash for development and provision of basic services such as security, health and education.
Foreign travel by senior government officials has recently sparked uproar among Kenyans who feel the expenses have not resulted in corresponding socio-economic benefits.
Mr Moi and Mr Kibaki enjoy hefty monthly pension and lavish perks running into millions of shillings paid for by taxpayers.
They enjoy a monthly pension of Sh560,000 each, a monthly Sh379,500 house allowance, fuel allowance (Sh247, 500) and entertainment perks of Sh247, 500 per month.
The retired presidents have a fleet of cars, security and tax payers also cater for their medical bills and trips inside Kenya and abroad.
Critics have questioned the cash entitlements since the retired presidents left office rich men with a string of properties and business interests.
The cost of keeping Mr Moi comfortable in retirement is, however, less compared to Mr Kibaki, whose presidency was 14 years less than his predecessor.
Treasury estimates indicate that Mr Moi’s office will cost taxpayers Sh17 million in the year ending June compared to Mr Kibaki’s Sh103 million.
Mr Kibaki’s huge cost is linked to wage bill of his staff. These office costs excludes the combined pension of Sh64 million that does not include their perks.
Mr Kibaki stepped down from the presidency in 2013 after serving two terms. Mr Moi retired in 2002 after 24 years at the helm, entitling him to regular payments, the first ever for a former head of state in Kenya.
Founding President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, died in office in 1978 and was succeeded by Mr Moi, who was his vice president. Under the law, the retired heads of state are entitled to an office, staff and a secretariat.
Mr Moi opted to use his Kabarnet Gardens home near Kibera in Nairobi as his office.
The former Presidents’ offices are fitted with sophisticated security apparatus and are well furnished.
Apart from the Nyari office block, Mr Kibaki has a State-financed Sh500 million Mweiga home in Nyeri, which was perceived to be his retirement home.
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