The Presidency cut spending in the period by Sh160.9 million or 37 percent from the Sh432.5 million spent in a similar period a year earlier.
The Sh432.5 million local trips spending in the half to December 2017 came during campaign period to woo voters.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, cut their domestic travel after their re-election by more than a third to Sh271.6 million in the six months to December.
Data from the Controller of Budget shows the Presidency, which comprises the offices of the President and the Deputy President, cut spending in the period by Sh160.9 million or 37 percent from the Sh432.5 million spent in a similar period a year earlier.
The Sh432.5 million local trips spending in the half to December 2017 came during campaign period to woo voters.
Kenya had a prolonged and volatile election that started ahead of the August 8 General Election and continued to the end of November following repeat presidential polls in October as ordered by the Supreme Court.
But the Presidency's foreign travel budget increased 20 per cent to Sh53.2 million in the six months to December.
It fell to Sh44 million in the six months to December 2017 when the Presidency focused more on domestic travel to campaign for votes.
Mr Kenyatta’s frequent foreign trips in the two years of first term in office had attracted debate with critics saying it ran the risk of setting the tone for other public officials to spend public funds on foreign travels.
Large delegations
During his travels, the President is usually accompanied by large delegations, including his security detail and senior government officials who draw hefty sums in travel allowances.
State House has in the past been forced to defend Mr Kenyatta’s frequent trips abroad, arguing that the majority of the travels have the potential to attract mega investments that would help lift the country’s fortunes and generate employment opportunities.
Foreign travel
The budget on foreign travel had been on a steady upward trajectory since Mr Kenyatta took office and only fell to Sh44 million in the last financial year.
The presidency spent Sh112.2 million on foreign trips in the six months to December during the 2015/2016 financial year and Sh130.8 million at a corresponding period in the 2016/2017 financial year.
Expenditure on foreign travel for the 73 State ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) increased 108.3 percent to Sh2.5 billion compared to the Sh1.2 billion spent a year before.
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Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
