State agencies threw President William Ruto’s caution about foreign travel to the wind with fresh data showing that despite the directive, they spent a billion more on globe-trotting.
A new report by the Controller of Budget reveals that ministries, departments and agencies spent Sh18.2 billion on travel in the first nine months of the current financial year.
MDAs burned Sh12.3 billion on domestic travel and Sh5.8 billion on foreign trips, which translated to a growth of 29 per cent compared with a similar period last year.
This was despite a circular by the presidency which put a stop on non-essential travel – some involving huge delegations - in budgetary austerity measures.
Spending on domestic travel increased by Sh2.9 billion while foreign trips spending went up by Sh1.2 billion compared to a similar period in the fiscal year 2022-23.
COB Margaret Nyakang’o says state agencies could be travelling with large delegations in violation of the guidelines issued by the government in June 2023 regarding foreign travel.
“The report notes growth in travel expenditure by MDAs compared to a similar period in FY 2022-23,” the budget boss said.
“Nevertheless, the growth in travel expenses shows that MDAs budgeted for travelling under the use of goods and services.”
CoB data reveals that foreign travel spending by the offices of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and that of State House rose sharply.
While the offices spent a combined Sh98 million last year – then under the Executive Office of the President - the amount has more than doubled in the same period this year.
Official budget data shows that State House spent Sh147.7 million on foreign trips during the period under review, and Sh21.4 million by the Executive Office of the President.
The Deputy President’s office spent Sh121 million, Sh30.8 million by the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Sh27.4 million by state departments under Musalia’s office.
Trips by members of the National Assembly cost taxpayers Sh300 million more compared to the Sh1.4 billion they spent in a similar period last year.
The cost taxpayers meet to facilitate top guns in foreign trips has come under sharp focus lately, with critics demanding answers as to whether they are of any value.
President Ruto was recently forced to dismiss widespread concerns that taxpayers spent an arm and a leg on a luxuty jet he hired for his trip to the United States.
“There is no way I can spend Sh200 million. I am a very responsible citizen. It cost the Republic of Kenya less than Sh10 million,” the President said, sparking outrage with comments that ‘friends of Kenya’ came in handy.
Since his inauguration, the President has done more than 50 foreign trips, averaging three a month.
A report by pollster Tifa released in December ranked Musalia as the most travelled at 16 trips, followed by Sports CS Ababu Namwamba at 13 with Blue Economy’s Salim Mvurya and ICT’s Eliud Owalo at 12 each.
In June last year, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei gave directives on travel conditions, delegation sizes, application procedures and timelines.
Koskei ordered that Cabinet Secretaries, principal secretaries, chairpersons and CEOs of state corporations get travel approval from the President.
The Head of Public service directed that delegations by Cabinet Secretaries shall not exceed four persons including the CS as head of delegation.
PS delegations were restricted to three and directives were that personal assistants and security personnel were not to be approved for travel.
Governors were allowed a maximum of three people including themselves while state corporation CEOs and board chairs are only allowed to travel alone.
Commission CEOs and chairpersons were allowed one extra person while staff travel were suspended – save for leave-based travel and representation.
Only Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi were allowed to travel with personal assistants.
The circular also provided that government officials would only be granted seven days maximum per travel, 15 days per quarter and 45 days in a year.
Koskei further directed that travel clearance applications should be submitted at least seven working days before the travel date.
In October 2023, the government, in another memo by Koskei, suspended non-essential travel.
He cited benchmarking and study visits, trainings, conferences and meetings of general participation, symposia, exhibitions, and association meetings.
“Public officers who are scheduled to travel and attend pipeline events in the categories are to request for virtual participation where available.”
He said that in the alternative, the lot could engage the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs ministry to secure onsite participation of diplomatic officials in the country of reference.
But despite the directive, Nyakang’o says foreign travel has continued unabated, stating further that officials failed to provide a breakdown of the questioned travels.
“Thirty-five MDAs did not submit their foreign travel data as required by the OCOB circular,” Nyakang’o said.
According to the budget review report, Gachagua’s office was among the agencies that did not submit a breakdown of their foreign travel data.
Mudavadi’s office also did not submit the data, so was State House, National Treasury, and departments of correctional services, foreign affairs, basic education, medical services, shipping and maritime services, and ICT.
Broadcasting, sports, youth affairs, livestock development, industry, investment promotion, labour, petroleum, public service, EAC departments also did not submit the required data.
COB has also put on the spot, the State Law Office, EACC, NIS, ODPP, KNCHR, NLC, Parliamentary Service Commission, National Assembly, Senate, Judiciary, CRA, SRC, Auditor General, and IPOA for failing to submit data on foreign trips.
Section 16 of the Controller of Budget Act requires that all public entities must submit accurate and timely information as requested by the CoB.
Nyakang’o added that among the MDAs that submitted data, several discrepancies were noted, “indicating inconsistencies and potential inaccuracies in the reported information.”
“The CoB recommends strict compliance with the comprehensive guidelines on foreign travel for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs),” Nyakang’o said.
She raised concerns about non-compliance with government guidelines relating to non-core expenses including domestic and foreign travel.