Sh127m spent on trips by Mombasa County, report shows

Mombasa County’s expenditure on domestic and foreign travel increased by 130 per cent to Sh127 million in the last financial year.

According to the Annual Implementation Report for 2015/2016 released by the office of the Controller of Budget, Mombasa County’s expenditure on domestic and foreign travel shot to Sh127 million up from Sh55 million in the financial year 2014/2015.

Analysis reports for expenditure on domestic and foreign travel for the six counties at the Coast in the last financial year show that Mombasa County’s expenditure increased by 130 per cent while Lamu County’s expenditure increased by 67.5 per cent.

Lamu County’s expenditure on domestic and foreign travel increased by 67.5 per cent to Sh180 million compared with Sh107 million in financial year 2014/2015.

Kwale County’s expenditure on domestic and foreign travel increased by 23.8 per cent to Sh278 million compared with Sh225 million in 2014/2015.

Kilifi’s domestic and foreign travel shot by 14.3 per cent to Sh302 million up from Sh265 million in the financial year 2014/2015.

On the other hand, Tana River county’s expenditure on domestic and foreign travel decreased by 30.7 per cent to Sh145 million down from Sh210 million.

Taita Taveta county’s expenditure on domestic and foreign travel decreased by 9.3 per cent to Sh248 million down from Sh271 million.

When reached for comment Mombasa County’s finance executive Hazel Koitaba came to the defence of the County government’s expenditure on domestic and foreign travel, saying the expenditure was smaller compared to other counties in the region.

“Although our expenditure on domestic and foreign travel increased to Sh127 million last financial year our budget on travel is low compared to other county governments,” she said.

Ms Koitaba said County chiefs had to travel overseas to meet development partners for them to assist the county on development matters.

“As a result of the foreign trips by the executive, the county’s Coast Provincial General Hospital has benefited from modern medical equipment and facilities,” she said.

“Mombasa residents are now getting better medical services from the hospital after donors assisted in equipping the health institution,” she added.

Speaking to the Nation by phone, Ms Koitaba said the County government was among counties which spent their development funds appropriately.

The report by the Controller of Budget ranked Bomet, Mombasa and Wajir as counties that spent development funds appropriately.

Tana River director of communications Galgalo Fayo said the County reduced its expenditure on domestic and foreign travel by 30.7 per cent so that the funds could go to development.

“Governor Hussein Dado’s focus is development and that is the reason why the budget for travel was cut by 30.7 per cent,” he said.

Mr Fayo explained that the County government had prioritised development to address thorny challenges such as water, roads, health and education to improve residents’ lives.

However, he said the domestic and foreign trips by the executive had also helped the county secure assistance from donor partners.

Kilifi County’s finance executive John Kombe said the increase in expenditure on domestic and foreign travel was as a result of travel costs having gone up.

He explained that the County did not spend much on foreign travel since the executive attended overseas meetings through invitation by donors, organizations and individual countries.