State House spending on foreign travel surpassed Sh1 billion in the nine months to March 2026, marking a record expenditure and underscoring the burden on taxpayers from increased trips abroad.
A budget review by the Controller of Budget shows that State House spent Sh1.27 billion on foreign travel in the nine months to March this year, eight times the Sh146.5 million spent in the corresponding period a year earlier. It is the first time State House expenditure on foreign travel has crossed the Sh1 billion mark.
The surge in spending comes at a time when President William Ruto visited destinations including Washington DC, London, Tokyo, the Gulf region and several African countries.
Dr Ruto’s foreign trips involve large entourages whose expenses are funded by taxpayers through budgetary allocations to State House.
Travel surge
The spending by State House on foreign trips pushed total expenditure by government offices on overseas travel to Sh6.508 billion in the nine months ended March this year, up from Sh5.139 billion a year earlier.
The Kenya Kwanza administration maintains that Dr Ruto’s travels have secured critical foreign labour agreements, including with Saudi Arabia, as well as financing for strategic infrastructure projects.
Dr Ruto recently defended his increased foreign travel, saying it is vital in shaping Kenya’s economic diplomacy and development agenda.
“Sometimes they ask why the President has travelled abroad or met leaders from different parts of the world. That is the job I was elected to do,” Dr Ruto said recently.
“Some say I am always travelling on holiday. If you want a holiday, go on holiday. My diary is booked six months ahead. Transforming this country requires hard work.”
Some of Dr Ruto’s trips during the current financial year include a visit to Washington DC in December last year at the invitation of President Donald Trump and an official visit to London in July last year, where he met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Dr Ruto also attended the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama, Japan, in August last year. In addition, he travelled to Saudi Arabia, Italy, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Tanzania.
State officials on foreign trips, especially to major cities such as Washington DC, New York, London and destinations in the Gulf region, receive lucrative per diems in addition to costly air tickets and other expenses, all funded by taxpayers.
Fiscal pressure
However, the spending spree on foreign travel appears at odds with the government’s calls for a reduction in non-essential overseas trips as part of efforts to ease pressure on public finances.
Huge debt-servicing obligations, coupled with the need to fund development projects, have piled pressure on the Exchequer and triggered calls to cut spending on non-essential items.
Besides State House, members of Parliament and senators also significantly increased their spending on foreign travel.
Data from the Controller of Budget shows that MPs spent Sh1.479 billion in the nine months to March this year, up from Sh1 billion a year earlier, while senators spent Sh815 million compared with Sh438.2 million in the corresponding period last year.
