Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo. [Photo: cob.go.ke]Counties expenditure on foreign trips increased by 55 percent to Sh12.1 billion in the last four years to June, while that of the national government rose by 66 percent to hit Sh15.5 billion mark.Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo says in her latest report that taxpayers spent Sh2.78 billion more on the trips in the period to June, up from Sh24.9 billion in the previous financial year.This came in a year when the Treasury directed that spending on non-essential items like travel should be cut by up to 30 per cent to free funds for projects in a business environment where state income was trailing targets.Six counties overshot their travel budgets while the National Assembly topped the list of institutions with highest expenditure on travel at Sh4.4billion, according to the Nation.The counties are Nakuru, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Migori, Baringo and Kisii counties.The Jubilee government early in 2014 announced a tight austerity programme aimed at cutting spending on non-core activities. This included pay cuts for top officials and curb in trips expenditure with only essential international travel allowed.But the Controller of Budget report shows a substantial increase in the travel expenditure over the past four years. The travel spend has jumped by Sh10 billion since 2014, representing a 58 per cent growth. 

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