Counties

Kinyanjui defends foreign trips, denies wastage claim

lee

Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui has defended his numerous foreign trips, saying they were donor-funded and aimed at spurring economic development in the county.

This comes on the back of criticism that the trips were "wasteful" and costly.

Records from Mr Kinyanjui’s office indicated that the county boss has been to the Netherlands, Thailand, Singapore, Malasyia, Rwanda and Dubai. His latest trip was to Estonia in Europe.

Nakuru executives spent Sh43 million on foreign trips in the year to June, making it the fifth largest budget among the 47 counties.

"I want to make it clear that majority of all these trips were funded by donor partners, contrary to the rumours doing rounds that l was wasting taxpayers money,”stated the governor.

He added that the travels were critical for mobilisation of capital for housing, tourism and agriculture.

“I have been using these trips to woo investors to the county and lay ground for multi-million shilling projects to the county. A good example is my most recent trip to Estonia where l am wooing investors ahead of the first International Investors Conference (NIICO) to be held between November 29 and December 1, 2018,”said Mr Kinyanjui.

According to the governor, two trips to Netherlands and Thailand early this year were paid for by development partners as recognition of their importance to their global agenda.

“The Netherlands trip was paid for by a water supply utility currently working with the county. The other to Thailand for advancement of the urban housing agenda was paid by the Ministry of Housing in collaboration with World Bank," he told the Business Daily.

Mr Kinyanjui also travelled to Singapore to attend a road conference and to Malasyia for habitat urban agenda in preparation for the upgrade of Nakuru to city status.

Earlier this year , the governor is also said to have travelled to Rwanda to attend an investors conference and to Dubai to for a forum that was discussing vegetable and fruit markets in the gulf. In Dubai he was hosted by the country’s chamber of commerce.

His critics siad there was little to show in terms of development that could be directly linked to the numerous foreign trips.

They also claimed that Mr Kinyanjui was often accompanied by large delegations whose costs were also footed by the county. The governor, however, denied the allegation.

Last month, a survey by the Institute of Economic Affairs revealed that it is easier to start a business in Nakuru town compared to five other urban areas because of a reduced tax burden.

Before he travelled to Estonia this week, Mr Kinyanjui hosted ambassadors and local investors at Sarova Panafric Hotel in Nairobi.