Uhuru office among top spenders of tax cash

The presidency is among the biggest spenders of public funds in the last six months, the latest report reveals.

Other major consumers of tax payer’s money, according to the Controller of Budget’s report, are the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), the National Youth Service (NYS) and the Judiciary.

The bulk of the Sh250 billion spent over the period mainly went towards salaries and allowances, domestic and foreign trips, conferences, hospitality, training and servicing of motor vehicles, says the report.

The report, expected to be released this week, reveals that Sh123 billion was spent on personal emoluments by government ministries, departments and agencies. The amount is slightly over half of the recurrent expenditure for the first six months of the current financial year. The presidency, which covers the office of Deputy President William Ruto, spent Sh513 million on personal emoluments.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) spent Sh797 million on personal emoluments while the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) spent Sh.82.2 billion paying teachers’ salaries.

HIGHEST EXPENDITURE

The report reveals that the PSC incurred the highest expenditure on domestic travel of Sh1.04 billion while the ministry of Foreign Affairs was the biggest spender on foreign travel at Sh605 million.

MPs and senators accounted for half of the total amount spent on domestic travel by government ministries, departments and agencies.

Interior ministry recorded the highest expenditure on training which gobbled up Sh224 million, legal fees (Sh234.5 million), maintenance of motor vehicles and maintenance of other assets (Sh213.5 million).

The report singles out the Judiciary as being among the biggest spenders during the period under review.
“Some of the MDAs with significant expenditure under the other expenses category included Judiciary (Sh1.6 billion). Expenditure includes Sh616.9 million for staff medical insurance, Sh245.6 million monthly pensions for judiciary staff, Sh301.1 million for housing and loans to judiciary staff and Sh159.1 million spent on contracted guards and cleaning services,” says the report.

The Interior ministry spent Sh1.6 billion on medical insurance, Sh1.3 billion for purchasing police and security equipment, Sh807.3 million for security operations. It spend Sh672.5 million on electricity, water and sewerage service, Sh557.6 million on food rations, Sh476.9 million for purchasing of uniforms, Sh118.8 million as confidential expenditure and Sh114.2 million for production supplies.

The ministry of Coordination of National Government spent Sh1.4 billion during the period under review. This included Sh942 million for food rations and Sh265 million for electricity, water and sewerage charges.

PREFERRED AGENCY

The NYS, which has lately become the government’s preferred agency for implementing its programmes, spent Sh57 million on uniforms and clothing for its staff and trainees and another Sh45 million for bedding and linen.

The Agriculture ministry spent Sh1.1 billion to purchase maize and beans for the Strategic Grain Reserves while the department of Higher Education, Science and Technology had the highest expenditure on both residential and non-residential buildings at Sh617 million and Sh2.2 billion respectively.

The report states that departments of Interior, Coordination of National Government and planning used some Sh1.6 billion on food and rations during the period under review.

The ministry of Agriculture spent Sh812 on subsidizing fertilizers and Sh1.4 billion on water supplies and sewerage services.

The fisheries departments spent Sh600 million to buy boats while the department of planning used Sh307.2 million on hospitality, boards, committees, conferences and seminars and Sh152.2 million on refined fuel and lubricants for transport.

The ministry of Lands Housing and Urban Development used Sh592.9 million to acquire specialised materials such special paper and equipment for production of title deeds.