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State House, the Interior Ministry and Parliament have emerged as top spenders as the government splashed more than Sh42.41 billion on travel and hospitality in a year.
The spending exposes the gap between the government’s austerity promises and its continued appetite for non-essential expenditure at a time when taxpayers face tough economic times.
According to Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o’s report on government spending for the 2025-26 financial year, the state spent Sh30.69 billion on domestic and foreign travel.
Another Sh11.72 billion was spent on hospitality – largely tea and refreshments – during the period.
Foreign travel accounted for Sh8.71 billion while Sh21.98 billion was spent on domestic travel.
The spending represents a significant increase from the Sh25.45 billion incurred in the 2024-25 financial year.
Of this, Sh18.05 billion went to domestic travel and Sh7.40 billion to foreign travel.
The National Assembly recorded the highest expenditure on foreign travel at Sh2.53 billion, followed by the State Department for Foreign Affairs at Sh2.22 billion and the Senate at Sh924.35 million.
State House spent Sh159.18 million on foreign travel.
For domestic travel, the National Assembly again topped the list, spending Sh4.37 billion, followed by State House at Sh2.4 billion.
State House’s domestic travel bill was almost twice the amount spent by the entire Judiciary on similar activities.
The Department for Internal Security and National Administration spent Sh1.43 billion on domestic travel, while that of Immigration and Citizen Services incurred Sh1.06 billion.
The Judiciary spent Sh1.23 billion on domestic travel, Sh203.10 million on foreign travel and Sh733.43 million on hospitality.
The figures are likely to raise fresh questions over the government’s commitment to cutting expenditure, particularly on travel and hospitality, which have repeatedly come under scrutiny.
On hospitality alone, the government spent Sh11.72 billion, up sharply from Sh6.33 billion in the 2024-25 financial year.
The National Lands Commission recorded the highest hospitality expenditure at Sh1.71 billion, followed by State House at Sh1.66 billion.
The high State House hospitality bill comes against the backdrop of the numerous local and foreign delegations hosted by President William Ruto.
The Department for Internal Security and National Administration also spent Sh1.02 billion on refreshments.
The spending comes despite repeated assurances by Ruto that his administration is cutting unnecessary expenditure as part of efforts to reduce the government’s wage and recurrent spending burden.
Recently, Ruto said his administration had reduced domestic travel spending by more than Sh11 billion.
“I saw that the media is saying I reduced the budget by Sh500 million. No, it is not 500 million but I have reduced by Sh11 billion for those going on those trips,” Ruto said.
The President said some government trips were not beneficial to Kenyans and should therefore be eliminated.
He said only trips capable of generating tangible benefits for the country would continue to receive funding.
“I will knock off a few things in my budget again, including my travel allowances so that I can find Sh500 million. The money will be used to start a factory that will manufacture local devices that will assist learners with special needs,” he said.
However, the latest expenditure figures raise questions about the extent to which the promised cuts have translated into actual savings across government.
The report shows that the Executive Office of the President spent Sh414 million on domestic travel, Sh88.74 million on foreign travel and Sh277.24 million on hospitality.
The Office of the Deputy President spent Sh568.80 million on domestic travel, Sh86.38 million on foreign travel and Sh909.75 million on hospitality.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has hosted various delegations at his official residence, contributing to the high hospitality expenditure.
The State Department of Mining spent Sh504.39 million on domestic travel and Sh113.98 million on foreign travel.
The National Police Service spent Sh411.11 million on domestic travel.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The Sh42.41 billion expenditure exposes a glaring contradiction in the government’s austerity agenda. While President Ruto promises to cut wasteful spending, travel and hospitality costs have surged, with State House, Parliament and Interior emerging among the biggest consumers. The sharp rise in hospitality spending is particularly troubling amid fiscal pressures, rising public debt and demands for better services. The figures suggest austerity remains more rhetoric than reality across government.
