Data from the Controller of Budget (CoB) shows the officials spent Sh5.97 billion on local trips in the six months ended December from Sh4.89 billion in similar period a year earlier.
The jump came after Kenya lifted bans on social gatherings and local flights, prompting a return to high spending by government officials who traditionally use per diems and allowances to increase monthly earnings.
This is the highest amount that State officers have spent on local trips in the first six months of a financial year since 2013.
Spending by civil servants on local trips in the first half of a financial year hit a record since start of devolution after easing of the restrictions imposed to curb spread of Covid-19.
Data from the Controller of Budget (CoB) shows the officials spent Sh5.97 billion on local trips in the six months ended December from Sh4.89 billion in similar period a year earlier.
The jump came after Kenya lifted bans on social gatherings and local flights, prompting a return to high spending by government officials who traditionally use per diems and allowances to increase monthly earnings.
This is the highest amount that State officers have spent on local trips in the first six months of a financial year since 2013, highlighting the increasing pressure on the government to free cash for critical expenditure like development projects.
The only time since 2013 that spending on such local trips came close was in December 2019 when they splashed Sh5.6 billion.
Government employees are entitled to per diems and other allowances whenever they travel locally for assignments, including trainings and seminars.
Members of Parliament accounted for the highest share of the Sh5.97 billion after they spent Sh1.96 billion, followed by the Interior ministry at Sh761 million and the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) at Sh651.5 million.
Lawmakers spent Sh70.17 million on local trips in the six months to December 2020, Ministry of Interior used Sh681.3 million and the PSC spent Sh545.53 million in the period, highlighting the impact of the restrictions on government expenditure.
Spending on local trips had slowed down in 2020 after Kenya banned social gatherings and suspended domestic flights after reporting the first positive case of coronavirus in March.
The bans had led to a suspension of local trainings and domestic travel for State officers prompting a drastic fall in the amounts that State officers earn in allowances and per diems.
But the officers have since late last year embarked on increased travel locally mainly for trainings while MPs also embarked on early campaigns ahead of the general elections set for August after easing of the restrictions in July last year.
The record spending on local trips pushed the total amount used by the officials for domestic and foreign travel to Sh8.85 billion, the highest in half a financial year since 2019.
Gradual resumption of working from offices and removal of limits on the number of people allowed in social gatherings also fuelled the spending craze.
The Treasury has been pushing to cut non-essential travel locally and abroad to free up cash for development.
Treasury Secretary Ukur Yatani has in the past three years maintained that all noncore expenditure will be reviewed to ensure the government can make savings and fund its programmes without relying too much on debt.
Items that have been identified for cuts include local and domestic trips, trainings and maintenance of cars as the economy grapples with near stagnant revenue collections and increasing debt repayment obligations.
