A report by the Controller of Budget (CoB) Margaret Nyakang’o has revealed that the State House and the Office of the President led other government departments in hospitality expenditure. President William Ruto failed to adhere to his austerity measures. The national government budget implementation review report for the first half of the 2023/2024 financial year showed the duo spent KSh 653.5 million. During the period under review, President William Ruto increased his hospitality budget by 16.8% from KSh 559.4 million in the previous year. State House incurred expenses of KSh 429.9 million, while the Office of the President spent KSh 223.5 million on items including entertainment and food. Other big spenders The State Department for Internal Security and National Administration, led by Kithure Kindiki, was another big spender, spending KSh 291.1 million. The Office of the Deputy President under Rigathi Gachagua spent KSh 206.9 million on hospitality. The total expenditure on hospitality by the government was KSh 2.91 billion. At the same time, the report showed travelling expenditure rose from KSh 8.11 billion in 2022 to KSh 11.38 billion in 2023. “In the first six months of FY 2023/24, travelling expenditure amounted to KSh 11.38 billion, compared to KSh 8.11 billion recorded in a similar period FY 2022/23. This comprised domestic travel at KSh 7.67 billion and KSh 3.71 billion for foreign travel. Expenditure on insurance was KSh 12.48 billion, rent and rates on non-residential buildings were KSh 4.3 billion, specialised materials and supplies were KSh 4.92 billion, while hospitality was KSh 2.91 billion.” In Diaspora Remittances as Kenya Shilling Strengthens: “Best Currency Now” How Ruto and Gachagua blew the budget President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua exceeded their annual budgets in their first seven months in office. Data by the National Treasury indicated that the Office of the President spent a whopping KSh 9.09 billion against the annual budget of KSh 8.64 billion. Under Ruto, the State House’s budget doubled from KSh 4.37 billion, approved by retired president Uhuru Kenyatta, to KSh 8.85 billion.
by Japhet Ruto