MPs, presidency lead pack in Sh9.6bn travel spend in six months

MPs gobbled up Sh3.89 billion (40.7 percent) of the total expenditure, meaning that most of the lawmakers were globetrotting and hopping to different corners of the country at a time when the government was struggling to pay for basic services.

During the six months, the CoB report adds, the presidency spent Sh546.4 million on local and foreign travel.

The presidency comprises the Executive Office of the President, the Office of the Deputy President, the State House and the Prime Cabinet Secretary’s office, while the travel spending in Parliament is borne by the National Assembly, Senate, and parliamentary joint services.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spent Sh1.59 billion (16.7 percent) of the entire travel spend by the government between July and December, the Ministry of Interior splurged Sh1.17 billion and the Auditor-General spent Sh628.6 million.

“In the first six months of the financial year 2024/25, travel expenditure amounted to Sh9.56 billion, compared to Sh11.38 billion recorded in a similar period in the financial year 2023/24. This comprises domestic travel at Sh6.47 billion and foreign travel at Sh3.11 billion,” CoB Margaret Nyakang’o notes.

Spending by the five offices accounts for 81.9 percent of the amount the government spent on travel, leaving the other agencies to scramble for the remaining Sh1.8 billion.

MPs consumed 44.7 percent (Sh2.89 billion) of the domestic travel spending during the six months, leaving them effectively taking Sh44.7 out of every Sh100 spent on local travel.

Other huge spenders on domestic travel were the Interior ministry (Sh1.1 billion), the Auditor-General (Sh569 million), and the presidency (Sh454 million).

The Foreign Affairs ministry led in foreign travel with a spending of Sh1.49 billion (47.6 percent), followed by Parliament, which spent Sh1 billion (32.3 percent).

The splashing of billions on travel has continued to haunt the government even as it struggles with a fiscal consolidation framework aimed at reducing excesses.

The leading role played by lawmakers and the presidency in lavish spending is a drawback in the fiscal consolidation journey, which will be difficult to achieve without the goodwill of the two institutions.

In June 2023, the Head of Public Service, Felix Koskei, issued a circular suspending non-essential foreign travel and restricting delegations.

“Delegations headed by Cabinet Secretaries (CS) shall not exceed four persons including the CS as head of delegation. Delegations should include most relevant technical persons to assist the principal in meetings, deliberations, or presentations related to foreign travel,” Mr Koskei wrote.

The circular also required travel by CSs and other heads of institutions to be cleared first by his office.

Read: State blows Sh18bn on travel in 9 months despite austerity order

Hospitality spending

In the six months to December, another Sh2.09 billion was spent on hospitality activities across the national government, the CoB report notes.

Of this, the presidency spent Sh655.7 million, Interior spent Sh387 million and Parliament accounted for Sh197.7 million.

Treasury spent a total of Sh142.3 million on hospitality, Foreign Affairs spent Sh167.2 million and Judiciary spent Sh137 million.

Together, these six offices accounted for 80 percent of all hospitality spending in government.

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