Report reveals State House blew Sh1 billion on local travel in nine months
The government recorded a total expenditure of Sh1.2 trillion during the period, representing 70 per cent of the revised gross budget estimates.
Despite President William Ruto’s public commitment to implement spending cuts and enforce austerity following mass protests, a new budget report reveals that his administration spent over Sh1 billion on local travel within just nine months.
The National Government Budget Implementation Review Report by Controller of Budget, Margaret Nyakang’o, paints a troubling picture of unchecked recurrent expenditure between July 2024 and March 2025, the first nine months of the 2024/25 financial year.
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The government recorded a total expenditure of Sh1.2 trillion during the period, representing 70 per cent of the revised gross budget estimates.
Out of the total amount, domestic travel alone consumed Sh11.6 billion, while an additional Sh5.1 billion was used for foreign trips.
State House, under the office of the president, accounted for Sh145.36 million in local travel and Sh30 million in foreign travel.
Meanwhile, the office of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki spent even more on local movement at Sh196.22 million and Sh22 million on international engagements.
The report also details heavy travel expenditure by legislators. Members of Parliament (MPs) spent Sh3.3 billion on local trips and Sh1.014 billion on travel abroad.
Senators recorded Sh902 million in domestic travel and S438 million for international trips.
These figures have raised fresh questions about the government's ability and willingness to honour its austerity pledges.
In July 2024, just days after Gen Z-led demonstrations erupted across the country on June 25, President Ruto announced a raft of measures aimed at slashing non-essential spending, including a ban on unnecessary travel by government officials.
However, the newly released figures suggest that the promised expenditure cuts are not being fully observed, further fueling public frustration and scrutiny.
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