The Annual Implementation Report for 2015/2016 has indicated that Mombasa County government’s expenditure on both domestic and foreign travel increased from Sh55 million to Sh127million.
The report shows that Mombasa topped in the Coast counties travel budget in the last financial year, with a 130 per cent increase.
The county’s Finance Executive Hazel Koitaba has however defended the travel expenditure, saying it was low compared to other counties in the region, citing Lamu's Sh180 million, Kwale's Sh278 million and Kilifi's Sh302 million.
“Although our expenditure on domestic and foreign travel increased to Sh127 million last financial year, our budget on travel is low compared to other county governments,” she said, as quoted by the Daily Nation.
In her defence, Ms Koitaba said Mombasa county officials have taken a trip overseas to meet development partners from different parts of the world, in order to learn a number of issues to do with development.
“As a result of the foreign trips by the executive, the county’s Coast General Hospital has benefited from modern medical equipment and facilities,” she said.
She also said the trips have benefited residents in the county, adding there is no need for the uproar.
“Mombasa residents are now getting better medical services from the hospital after donors assisted in equipping the health institution,” she added.