Counties spent Sh6.6 billion on foreign travel within six months, with European capitals, Dubai and Singapore emerging as the preferred destinations.
This happened even as the devolved governments have refused to improve health workers’ salaries, citing financial constraints.
County officials incurred the expenditure from July 1 to December 31, 2024, to fund junkets like watching the Olympics in Paris, attending overseas cultural events, participating in conferences on firefighting and pyrethrum in the United Kingdom, according to the latest report by the Comptroller of Budget.
The expenditure came just two months after a crippling doctors’ strike that paralysed operations in public hospitals. Striking medics had demanded better pay and the hiring of trainee doctors, issues that remain unresolved.
Some 10 counties - Machakos, Nairobi, Kitui, Nyandarua, Kajiado, Kakamega, Meru, Kisumu, Busia and Baringo - had the most travelling delegations, collectively spending Sh2.4 billion or a third of the entire travel budget for the counties during the period under review.
According to the county governments’ Budget Implementation Review Report for the first half of the 2024/25 financial year, countries such as the United Kingdom, Singapore, Dubai, Tanzania and Germany were among the favourite destinations for members of county assemblies and county executives.
According to the report, Nairobi County spent Sh15 million on seven county executives in July, last year, who travelled to Singapore for “experiential learning on economic empowerment on devolved units.”
The Mr Johnson Sakaja-led county also spent Sh4.9 million to facilitate travel to Tanzania for 15 county executive members for a training in understanding of the county’s own-source revenue collection.
Nairobi also sent six officers to Dubai between June 17 and 22, last year, for a workshop on decision-making in uncertain times.
Another seven officers from Nairobi went to Dubai for training on devolution and governance which cost taxpayers Sh3.8 million.
Governor Wavinya Ndeti’s Machakos splashed Sh3.4 million on five county executives to attend a livestock and food security conference in Brazil from December 7 to 16, last year.
Three officers from the county also pocketed Sh1.4 million in facilitation to meet with women MPs in the UK Parliament and with members of the Kenyan diaspora from October 10 to 17, last year.
In Governor Erick Mutai-led Kericho, the county executive splashed Sh2.3 million on six officers attending training on leadership and policy implementation in Arusha, Tanzania. The county spent another Sh1.2 million on three officers to attend a consultative meeting in exploration of investment opportunities in Uganda.
And in Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o’s Kisumu, two officers pocketed Sh2.8 million to attend a summit with Endless Mountain Mercy Mission International in the US from June 31 to July 7, last year.
Four Kisumu county assembly officers also spent Sh636,480 to attend a cultural event in Uganda from November 1 to 4, last year.
In Lamu, the county assembly facilitated one officer to attend the 2024 Olympics in Paris from July 26 to August 12, 2024.
The report states that Tana River County of Governor Dhadho Godhana spent Sh2.2 million on three officers to attend a five-day C-suite seminar in Singapore.
Eight members of the Baringo county assembly spent Sh2, 424,741 to attend a digital conference in Kigali, Rwanda, from September 18 to September 24.
And in Governor Hillary Barchok’s Bomet, one officer pocketed Sh992,663 to attend a meeting on pyrethrum revival in the United Kingdom.
The county also spent Sh14 million on 14 officers to attend a conference on the role of legislature in influencing government programs in Dubai.
Governor Stephen Sang-led Nandi County sent one officer to attend a one-day workshop on emergency fire response in the United Kingdom for Sh875,136.
Nandi county assembly also paid Sh2.9 million to seven officers who travelled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to attend a meeting on smart solutions for a sustainable county development programme.
Governor Patrick ole Ntutu’s Narok County handed two officers in the county executive Sh1.9 million for an industrial tour in Italy and Germany from September 23 to 27, last year.
The county also spent Sh1.6 million on two officers to attend the World Wilderness Congress in the US that took place between August 25 to 31st last year.
In Governor Simba Arati’s Kisii, the county assembly spent Sh3.5 million on seven officers to attend a mentorship programme by the Shanghai Development Foundation “to understand the public policy-making process.”
In Makueni, the county executive spent Sh2 million on travel to Morocco for three officers from October 5 to 9 to attend the signing ceremony for the memorandum of understanding between the regional council of Marrakech-sari and the county.
The report indicates that Mandera County spent Sh522,340 on one officer to attend a workshop at United Nations simulation conference crafting future leaders in a post-pandemic era in Istanbul-Turkiye. The meeting took place from October 4 to 11, last year.
Mombasa County splashed Sh4.2 million on seven county assembly members to attend a training on disaster preparedness and risk management programme in Dubai. The training took place from November 23 to December 1, last year.
In Governor Irungu Kang'ata’s Murang’a, the county executive facilitated the travel of five officers to Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany to participate in the coffee and tea cupping sessions at a cost of Sh2.6 million.
Governor Mutahi Kahiga-led Nyeri spent Sh6.5 million on 18 officers in May last year to study the organs and structure of the East Africa Legislative Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania.
In Samburu, the county assembly spent Sh7.8 million on nine officers to attend training on leadership and public health management in Ethiopia. The training took place in November last year.
In Tharaka Nithi, the county executive spent Sh1.1 million to facilitate two officers to travel to the United Kingdom to explore opportunities for sourcing fire engines and emergency response equipment.
In West Pokot, the county executive spent Sh1.5 million on two officers to travel to India in December last year, for 11 days to celebrate the country’s culture during the Jamhuri Day celebrations in New Delhi, India.
