Shame of county officials blowing billions in travel as services delay

Controller of Budget  Margaret Nyakang'o. [File, Standard]

Counties may be struggling to fund crucial activities as a result of the persistent delays by the National Treasury to disburse funds but this has not stopped them from blowing millions in domestic travels.

The latest report by the Controller of Budget has highlighted how counties are not shying away from spending big on local travel despite the pleas by Kenya Kwanza’s administration on the need to implement austerity measures.

While a number of them have been struggling to offset salaries and buy critical medical supplies to their facilities, the report indicates that domestic travel is part of their priority expenditures gobbling a whooping Sh15.2 billion in the 2023/2024 financial year.

Additionally, the counties also spent Sh2.2 billion on foreign travel, consisting of bench marking sessions in Europe, Asia, America, and in the neighboring countries of Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

According to the Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o, counties can reduce the huge expenditures on domestic travel by holding their activities at the county headquarters.

The Budget Implementation Review Report for the 2022/23 Financial Year also indicates that some of the counties are running multiple bank accounts with some operating more than 300 bank accounts.

This, perhaps, explains the huge appetite to organize activities outside their territories as county officials eye lucrative allowances despite the cash crunch counties have been grappling with.

For instance, Bungoma county blew Sh419.7 million in domestic travel despite raising only Sh238 million from its own local revenue collection. The figure indicates that the devolved unit spent more than it collects on travels alone apart from other sources of funds it received.

“The county should minimize expenditure on travelling by holding activities within the County,” said Nyakang’o.

In the report, Nyakang’o flagged nearly all the counties for the high expenditure on domestic travels.

Among the huge spenders on local travels were Turkana at Sh943.44 million, Nairobi City at Sh861.57 million, Machakos at Sh652.76 million, West Pokot at Sh585.2 million and Nakuru at Sh544.13 million.

In Western, counties spent big on local travel despite struggling to raise their own revenue and also settle pending bills and addressing the ballooning wage bill that continues to haunt them.

Busia and Kakamega counties reported expenditures of Sh250 million and Sh406.01 million respectively on domestic travel.

In Kakamega, Governor Fernandes Barasa’s administration is also on the spot for spending Sh12 million on foreign travel. These included an expenditure of Sh1.3 million by one official to attend a Luhya community meeting in Seattle, US.

The county also sponsored one official to undertake a benchmarking tour in US on projects carried out by a firm. The trip cost taxpayers Sh1.2 million. Yesterday, the county chief described the report as misleading as he fought off claims of reckless expenditure.

“The Controller of Budget got it wrong by lumping together all expenses including the expenditure by the County Assembly with the Executive, the amount we pay for fuel, telephone, and staff travels as part of hospitality.”

Nairobi that is also grappling with  huge pending bills to the tune of Sh118.3 billion is also the highest spender on domestic travel. During the period under review, Governor Johnson Sakaja’s officials spent Sh861 million on local travel.

The figure included Sh329 million spent by the County Assembly and a whooping Sh532 million by the Executive.

On the flip side, the COB also flagged Sakaja’s administration for what it terms excessive foreign travels.

During the period under review, the devolved unit spent Sh328.33 million and comprised Sh127.76 million by the County Assembly and Sh200 million by the County Executive.

Train locally

The county made at least 12 foreign trips. They include a proactive management training in Morocco that cost Sh37.2 million as well as workshops in Canada, Dubai, Instanbul, and Singapore.

“The County should curb excessive foreign travel and instead train locally if need be, to conserve resources,” said Nyakang’o.

In Nyanza, Homa Bay County is among the big spenders on both local and foreign trips.

The devolved unit surviving on a payroll management overdraft facility from a local bank to the tune of Sh460.27 million as at June 30, spent Sh317.77 million on domestic travels.

Expenditure on foreign travel amounted to Sh8.86 million and comprised Sh6.31 million spent by the County Assembly and Sh2.55 million spent by the Executive.

Kisumu, on the other hand, spent Sh389.09 million on domestic travels and comprised of Sh168.94 million spent by the County Assembly and Sh220.15 million by the County Executive.

Migori, Siaya, Nyamira, and Kisii counties spent Sh359.55 million, Sh287 million, Sh248 million and Sh305 million respectively on domestic travel.

A review of foreign travel indicates that Dubai is the most preferred destination for workshops for most of the counties.

At the Coast, Mombasa County is among the high spenders on local travels despite its struggle to settle pending bills and also equip health facilities with vital supplies.

The devolved unit spent Sh133 million on domestic travel. Kwale County, on the flipside, spent Sh444.19 million. The county executive spent Sh300.26 million while the County Assembly spent Sh143.9 million.

In the Mount Kenya region, Kirinyaga County expenditure on domestic travel amounted to Sh141.99 million and comprised Sh91 million by County Assembly and Sh50.99 million by the County Executive.

According to the COB, high expenditures on domestic travel is one of the bottlenecks impeding the effective implementation of the budget.

Other heavy spenders on domestic travel include Meru County at Sh419.9 million. During the period under review, the County Assembly, that has been on the neck of Governor Kawira Mwangaza, also made 20 foreign trips at Sh48 million out of the Sh60 million spent on foreign travel.

Additional reporting by Benard Lusigi