Governors SAKAJA and WAVINYA NDETI busted for spending close to Ksh1 billion each on travel while doing little on development

Sunday, September 15, 2024 – Nairobi, Machakos and Turkana counties have been rated as the worst in terms of wastage.

In a report unveiled by the Controller of Budget (CoB) Margret Nyakang'o, National and County governments continue to waste public funds on excessive and unnecessary travel despite public outcry.

Nyakang'o exposed county governments for spending Ksh17 billion shillings on travel in the 2023/2024 financial year.

According to the CoB, the county leaders used Ksh15.28 billion on domestic travel and Ksh2.32B on foreign travel.

“During the financial year, the Controller of Budget noted excessive expenditures by county governments on travel, which may be wasteful, amounted to Ksh17.60 billion,” the report stated.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti, and Turkana Governor Jeremiah Ekamais Lomorukai Napotikan led the list of the most traveled governors spending close to Ksh1 billion each on travel.

According to the report, governors and MCAs from Nairobi, Machakos and Turkana travel mostly to China, Canada, Turkey, South Africa, and Dubai.

The controller of the budget described these travels as wasteful and extravagant.

Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) were also faulted for spending so much on domestic travel.

The revelations by the CoB come even as counties face a cash crunch, with most devolved units yet to pay their workers for three months.

Nairobi, Machakos and Turkana cunties were also rated poorly in terms of development.

Nyakang'o advised County governments to minimize travel expenditure by holding activities within their headquarters and allocating the funds to key development programs

The Kenyan DAILY POST