Uhuruto gobble up Sh190 million of tax payers money on foreign travel spree

Lately, President Kenyatta has been on foreign travel spree and just last week he was in Tanzania.
Data from the Controller of Budget (CoB) shows the Presidency — occupied Mr. Kenyatta and his deputy — spent a whopping Sh190 million ($1.9 million) for foreign travel costs.
Mr Ruto, on the other hand, has intensified his domestic travels in what many see as preparing the ground for his 2022 presidential bid.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto sure do love flying and raking in millions of miles. Data from the Controller of Budget (CoB) shows that in the nine months to March the two heads of state increased their foreign travel costs five times, marking their return to making trips abroad after the 2017 General Election campaigns.

The CoB data shows the Presidency — occupied Mr. Kenyatta and his deputy — spent a whopping Sh190 million ($1.9 million) in the nine months compared to just Sh36.5 million ($365,000) in the same period of a year earlier when Kenya was in the middle of two presidential elections.

Deputy President William Ruto alighting from a jet. (Hivisasa) Pulse Live Kenya

The data shows the overall spend on domestic travel fell to Sh420 million in the first nine months of 2018/19 compared to Sh432 million ($4.32 million) the previous year.

The drop in the foreign travel bill last year was linked to the campaign period when the Presidency focused more on domestic tours to woo voters. The latest numbers, however, indicate that Mr. Kenyatta and his deputy have since increased their count of foreign trips since their re-election.

Also read: Here is what East Africa presidents have really been up to lately crisscrossing the continent and raising eyebrows

Since he came to power in 2013, Mr. Kenyatta has pushed for austerity measures across the board, promising deeper cuts on non-essential items like travel and entertainment.

If the latest data are anything to go by then President Kenyatta is preaching water and drinking wine.

President John Magufuli holding hands with President Uhuru Kenyatta Pulse Live Kenya

Lately, President Kenyatta has been on foreign travel spree and just last week he was in Tanzania. He has, however, cut down on his domestic travels since his re-election and eventual handshake with Opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Mr Ruto, on the other hand, has intensified his domestic travels in what many see as preparing the ground for his 2022 presidential bid, something which is causing discomfort among a section of the ruling Jubilee coalition opposed to his bid.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy binge on travels and in just 9 months their travel costs has quintuple to $1.9 million

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