Uhuru: Gov’t to cut spending on foreign travel, training

President Uhuru Kenyatta has proposed a reduction on expenditure across all arms of government.

In an address to the nation on Friday, he noted that despite the move to raise revenue through tax on petroleum products, the country still faces a huge financial gap.

“These cuts will target less essential spending like hospitality, training and seminars, foreign and domestic travel and other similar categories,” the President said.

The announcement is similar to a move he made as Finance Minister back in 2009; at the time, the Government was facing a budget deficit of Ksh.1oobillion.

An expose by a local newspaper had revealed that ministries were spending up to 24percent of their allocated funds on non-essentials such as gifts, travel, meal allowances, flowers and tea.

Later that year, Mr. Kenyatta directed that Cabinet Ministers and their assistants hand in all luxury vehicles with engine capacity of 1800cc and above.

According to him, such vehicles were costing taxpayers Ksh.2billion on fuelling and maintenance of expensive models.

He then okayed the purchase of 130 Passat vehicles which he said were more budget friendly.

A few years later, the “banned” luxury vehicles sneaked their way back to ministries with most leaders now being driven in 4X4 cars.

In March this year, Treasury CS Henry Rotich revealed that Kenya has a budget deficit of Ksh.587.7billion with a planned expenditure of Ksh.2.49trillion.