Move defies calls by the Treasury and President Uhuru Kenyatta for cuts on non-essential spending
The National Assembly’s foreign travel spend alone ballooned to Sh324 million over the period while Parliamentary Service Commission members spent Sh184.6 million.
The expenditure is in addition to Sh669.9 million burnt on local travel.
MPs and top employees of Parliament increased their foreign travel budget five times to Sh508.6 million in the three months to September.
A new Controller of Budget (CoB) report shows that the lawmakers had used Sh102.9 million in the same quarter a year earlier, reflecting a 398 per cent rise.
The Sh102.9 million came in a period when MPs were campaigning for re-election ahead of the August 8 General Election.
By comparison, the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Sports — which have most of their official duties outside the country — spent Sh409.3 million and Sh70.8 million respectively on foreign travel in the three months.
The National Assembly’s foreign travel spend alone ballooned to Sh324 million over the period while Parliamentary Service Commission members spent Sh184.6 million.
The expenditure is in addition to Sh669.9 million burnt on local travel.
“The highest expenditure by ministries, departments and agencies in other categories included Sh669.9 million on domestic travel by the National Assembly… and Sh409.3 million by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on foreign travel,” states the CoB in its first quarter report.
The increase in foreign travel expenditure defies calls by the Treasury and President Uhuru Kenyatta for cuts on non-essential spending like travel.
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