The Controller of Budget’s first-quarter report has exposed lavish travel spending by government entities, with Members of Parliament (MPs) leading the way in extravagant expenditures. The report, spanning July to October 2024, reveals that Ksh. 3.5 billion was spent on travel, with Ksh. 2.5 billion allocated to domestic trips and Ksh. 1 billion for international journeys.
Parliament emerged as the biggest spender, with members of the National Assembly using Ksh. 870 million for domestic travel and Ksh. 173 million for international excursions. Senators were not far behind, spending Ksh. 345.7 million domestically and Ksh. 80.6 million abroad. Supporting parliamentary entities like the Parliamentary Service Commission and Parliamentary Joint Services contributed an additional Ksh. 10.7 million and Ksh. 94.6 million, respectively, to the travel bill.
The report from the Margaret Nyakang’o-led Controller of Budget office paints a grim picture of fiscal discipline among legislators. Despite calls for prudence from President William Ruto, MPs and other government officials appear to be ignoring austerity measures aimed at curbing wasteful spending.
The Executive, while spending significantly less than Parliament, was also implicated in the travel splurge. The Office of the President spent Ksh. 11 million on domestic travel and Ksh. 1.3 million on foreign travel during the same period. State House expenditures added another Ksh. 43 million for domestic travel and Ksh. 5.8 million for international trips.
These revelations come at a time when the government has been advocating for fiscal austerity to manage its ballooning debt and budgetary constraints. President Ruto’s administration had announced a series of measures to reduce non-essential spending, but the Controller of Budget’s report suggests these guidelines are being largely ignored.
The “honourable extravagance,” as the report describes it, highlights the urgent need for accountability in government spending. Critics argue that such profligate expenditure is tone-deaf in light of Kenya’s economic challenges, including high inflation, unemployment, and a growing cost of living crisis.
The findings are expected to spark debate in the public and political spheres, with calls for stricter oversight and enforcement of austerity measures. Kenyans will be watching closely to see if Parliament and other government arms will heed the warnings from the Controller of Budget or continue on their current trajectory of unchecked spending.
