Wamuzi News Ke
President William Ruto’s administration has once again stoked controversy over soaring government travel expenditures — the national government burned through a staggering Sh25.46 billion on travel in the last fiscal year alone, obliterating any pretense of fiscal restraint.
Despite the president’s earlier pledges to slash travel costs by nearly half, official reports from the Controller of Budget indicate only a minimal reduction of Sh1.7 billion from the previous target — a paltry achievement against the relentless rise in spending.
The breakdown delivers a damning indictment of executive priorities. State House alone hit the Treasury for an extra Sh5 billion under emergency allocation, pouring funds into domestic travel, hospitality, fuel, and vehicle maintenance.
There’s little transparency in how these emergency withdrawals were justified.Experts warn the consequences are dire. The relentless travel spree has severely undercut development budgets, forcing critical infrastructure and social projects into the red.
With more cash diverted into jetted diplomacy and extended delegations, the choice becomes stark: borrow more, or divert funds from developmental needs.
As headlines warn of rising living costs and looming schools fee hikes, Kenyans are left questioning whether their leaders are journeying for progress—or just fueling prestige on taxpayers’ backs.
