Wamuzi News Ke
In a dramatic revelation that has sent shockwaves through Parliament, Controller of Budget Dr. Margaret Nyakang’o has exposed the staggering scale of government travel expenses, warning that reckless spending on luxury trips is bleeding Kenya dry.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Public Debt and Privatization Committee, Dr. Nyakang’o disclosed that a jaw-dropping Sh9.5 billion has already been splashed on local and international travel this financial year alone — a figure she believes is not only excessive but also economically dangerous.
“These are funds that could have built hospitals, paid teachers, or supported the most vulnerable,” she said, visibly disturbed by the trend.
Dr. Nyakang’o recounted a startling incident during a recent trip to Turkey, where she found a room full of Kenyan officials attending a seminar — organized by fellow Kenyans — that she says could easily have been held back home.
“Why were all those people flown to Istanbul just to be addressed by another Kenyan? It made no sense,” she exclaimed.
Her remarks ignited a heated debate, with the Controller warning that the government’s appetite for luxury travel, bloated allowances, and ballooning benefits is pushing the country to the edge of a financial cliff.
Worryingly, while key sectors like pensions and gratuities are being shortchanged, public sector wage and benefits spending has surged from Sh4.08 billion to Sh4.67 billion in just months — a clear sign of misplaced priorities.
According to Nyakang’o, despite allocating Sh223 billion, only Sh115 billion has actually been disbursed in the first nine months — a shortfall that could derail critical public services.
She further decried the abuse of Article 223 of the Constitution, which is meant for emergency expenditure but is now being used as a backdoor for unapproved, urgent spending sprees.
“Just when we finally get enough revenue from KRA to settle something crucial like pensions, I receive six Article 223 requests — all marked urgent, all outside the budget,” she revealed.
Dr. Nyakang’o warned that unless the government urgently reins in this reckless spending and prioritizes fiscal discipline, Kenya risks spiraling into an economic crisis — one that could see the nation struggle to meet its basic obligations.
“This is not just about numbers. This is about survival. If we don’t act now, we may not have the luxury to act later.”
As pressure mounts, all eyes are now on Treasury and senior government officials — will they heed the warning, or will the spending spree continue until it’s too late?
