President William Ruto boarding a plane. Photo/Courtesy
By Daisy Okiring
The Controller of Budget, Margaret Nyakang’o, has flagged excessive government spending on travel, revealing that President William Ruto’s administration used Ksh.25.46 billion on local and foreign trips in the last financial year.
The expenditure, covering July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, contradicts earlier pledges by the President to cut government travel by half. Ruto first promised in 2023 to reduce spending by Ksh.11 billion, stating funds saved would be redirected to development projects. He later announced stricter controls after the rejection of the Finance Bill 2024, but the report shows only a marginal reduction of Ksh.1.7 billion.
“I still see elements of too much foreign travel in a sense that we are now encroaching on resources for development,” Nyakang’o said, warning that the trend undermines key projects.
State House requisitions raise concern
According to Nyakang’o, State House made an extra requisition of Ksh.5 billion under Article 223 of the Constitution, citing extraordinary circumstances. The funds were spent on domestic travel, fuel, hospitality, and vehicle maintenance.
“These funds have to come from somewhere. So, either another vote is reduced or we must borrow. By extension, our indebtedness in terms of local or foreign borrowing is impacted,” she explained.
Preferred destinations for officials
The Controller’s report also highlighted frequent foreign trips to destinations such as Dubai, London, South Africa, and the United States. She warned that unchecked executive travel continues to drain the development budget, which has already been significantly reduced.
The revelations add pressure on Ruto’s government to justify its expenditure at a time when many Kenyans face rising living costs and delayed development projects.
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