Ministers order luxury cars despite freeze order

PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI Vehicles belonging to governors who had attended a meeting at the Kenya School of Government last week. Governors and Cabinet secretaries have been buying luxury cars despite an order barring use of vehicles exceeding 1,800cc engine capacity.

What you need to know:

  • Commission bosses and governors also join ranks of those ordering expensive vehicles
  • According to National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich, some Cabinet secretaries had complained that the cars allocated to them were dilapidated. However, the National Treasury has insisted that official cars used by Cabinet ministers in the last government should be reallocated for use by those serving now
  • As Finance minister in June 2010, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, now the President, announced a new transport policy banning the use of Mercedes Benz limousines and other luxury vehicles and fuel guzzlers

Some Cabinet Secretaries and members of constitutional commissions have defied government austerity measures and bought expensive limousines, prompting stern warnings from the Treasury.

The Nation learnt that top officials had bought at least 30 Mercedes Benz vehicles in the last one month alone. Some of the officials have also irregularly allocated themselves security chase cars.

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich on Sunday told the Nation in a telephone interview that the government would not condone lavish spending, and that his ministry had not authorised the purchase of the new vehicles. He said no money had been allocated to buy cars in the new financial year which starts Monday.

Mr Rotich said any ministry that bought new cars would be acting illegally and in contravention of the government’s transport policy. However, he acknowledged that some of the new vehicles being used by top officials were paid for from allocations made in the financial year that ended on Sunday.

“The circular on transport policy still remains. It is clear that we have not allocated any money for people to buy cars,” he said and warned against further purchases in the new financial year.

The Cabinet secretaries with extra police escorts have also been disrupting traffic in Nairobi by forcing their way through the wrong side of the road in rush hours.

“I am surprised that some people have allocated themselves chase cars. This should not be the case unless your level of security due to some anticipated risks,” said Mr Rotich.

One Cabinet secretary ordered two Mercedes Benz vehicles only a fortnight ago in the rush to beat the deadline for the financial year.

According to Mr Rotich, some Cabinet secretaries had complained that the cars allocated to them were dilapidated. However, the National Treasury has insisted that official cars used by Cabinet ministers in the last government should be reallocated for use by those serving now.

As Finance minister in June 2010, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, now the President, announced a new transport policy banning the use of Mercedes Benz limousines and other luxury vehicles and fuel guzzlers.

Cabinet ministers were made to surrender the Mercedes limousines for Volkswagen Passats of not more than 1,800cc.

Since then the government has been selling unneeded luxury cars as part of a wider campaign to reduce to its transport bill. A total of 5,955 vehicles, among them Mercedes Benzes and Toyota Land Cruisers, have been surrendered by government ministries and departments since the new rule on engine capacity was put in place.

The move was meant to save the government at least Sh2 billion a year on fuel and maintenance costs. A total of 1,597 vehicles which had higher engine capacity have been sold, raising Sh356 million.

The disposal of the surrendered vehicles was put on hold three months ago after the Transition Authority blocked the process.

In the last three months, however, 76 out of the 135 vehicles advertised for sale within Nairobi have been sold, raising Sh61 million.

“We have developed a government motor vehicle inventory consisting of a total of 5,955 vehicles excluding security, ambulance and fire fighting vehicles,” said a report prepared a taskforce on transport chaired by Mr Boniface Simba.

It also raises concerns over reluctance by some ministries to adhere to an order issued by the Office of the President to use fuel cards and install a fleet management system to reduce theft of fuel and irregular use of government vehicles.

Due to the fear over the continuous misuse and theft of government vehicles by some public servants, a proposal has now been made to set up a new body to be known as the Government Fleet Management Unit to oversee the management of transport in the whole of government.

Besides the national government officials, eyebrows have been raised over the spending of millions of shillings on fuel guzzlers by governors.

Kisumu County has been criticised for setting aside Sh72 million to buy 12 Toyota Prados for the county executives and another Sh14 million to buy two Land Rovers for use by senior officers.