EDITORIAL: Rein in spending – Business Daily

According to the Controller of Budget report for the quarter ending September, the Presidency’s travel spend went up by 32 percent or Sh36 million to Sh147.4 million from Sh111.9 million in similar period last year.

The Presidency’s foreign travel alone nearly doubled to Sh30.5 million from Sh16.8 million previously.

Although the President and his deputy have to travel, it must dawn on these offices that, according to the Treasury, travel has been listed as one of the non-core activities that ought to be cut in the push to tame government spending. Indeed, foreign travel is one of the areas that ought to be tightly monitored and made to deliver tangible goods to the taxpayer, or else it should be taken to the back burner.

While the travel budget for ministries, departments and agencies has also gone up to Sh3.5 billion from Sh2.8 billion, we urge the Presidency, as the apex institution, to lead by example in implementing austerity plans targeted at economic growth endeavours.