Ruto to cut travelling budget by Sh500m, to fund learners with special needs

President William Ruto during the Mashujaa Day celebration at Kericho Green Stadium in Kericho County on October 20, 2023. [File, Standard]

President William Ruto has said that he will cut down his travel budget by Sh500 million so as to support learners with disabilities.

Speaking during the flagging-off motor vehicles for education officers in Kasarani on Thursday, October 26, Ruto said the funds will instead be used to build a manufacturing plant for assistive devices for learners with disabilities

"I will knock off a few things in my budget again including my travel allowances so that I can find Sh500 million. The money will be used to start a factory that will manufacture local devices that will assist learners with special needs," said Ruto.

His remarks come at a time when his office has spent over Sh56 million on traveling expenses in the first half of the 2023/2024 Financial Year.

This was twice the amount spent in a similar period in 2021 and four times more than his predecessor.

Ruto has just recently come back to the country from a 3-day visit to China and another in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, The Standard reported that from the time Ruto was sworn in on September 13 last year, he has spent one in every five days outside the country.

It amounts to 83 days out of the country for the 407 days he has been Commander-In-Chief, visiting over 45 cities in 38 countries.

It is from the same trips that he says he has noticed the country is importing basic things like the devices when it has the resources and human capital to produce them locally.

By allocating the Sh500 million and the contribution by the Ministry of Education, and the National and County Governments, Ruto believes it will be possible to build and produce the devices as soon as possible.

The manufacturing plant will be located in Mavoko, Machakos County.