Thirty-four governors and their executives spent more than Ksh500 million on foreign benchmarking and training trips in the first nine months of the 2024/2025 financial year, even as some counties adopted austerity measures and recorded zero spending on such travel. 

According to the latest report by Controller of Budget (CoB) Dr Margaret Nyakang’o, county officials splashed close to Ksh500 million on international travel, reigniting concerns over misuse of public funds under the guise of capacity building. 

Nairobi County, under Governor Johnson Sakaja, emerged as the highest spender on foreign travel, with a whopping Ksh148 million used to send officials to destinations such as Singapore, Dubai, and Switzerland.

In November 2024, seven executive officers attended a public finance training in Singapore at a cost of Ksh19.9 million, while in January 2025, another group visited Dubai for financial reporting training at a cost of Ksh15 million. 

In July, yet another group of seven travelled back to Singapore for “experiential learning on economic empowerment” at a cost of Ksh15 million, while December saw seven more attend a Tchoukball indoor championship in Switzerland, costing Ksh12 million. 

Dr Nyakang’o’s report notes: “Expenditure on foreign travel amounted to Ksh229.79 million, comprising Sh80.96 million by the County Assembly and Sh148.82 million by the County Executive.

Domestic travel costed counties a further Ksh385.28 million, split almost evenly between the assemblies and the executives.” 

In contrast, thirteen counties recorded zero expenditure on foreign travel during the period.

These include Kiambu, Trans Nzoia, Makueni, Kajiado, Homa Bay, Kisii, and Uasin Gishu—whose governors, Kimani Wamatangi, George Natembeya, Mutula Kilonzo Jr, Joseph Ole Lenku, Gladys Wanga, Simba Arati, and Jonathan Bii, respectively, opted for more cost-conscious operations. 

Other counties such as Laikipia, Mandera, Kitui, Wajir, Nyamira, Garissa, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Baringo also avoided overseas benchmarking, choosing to hold local training in modest facilities. 

Among the most vocal opponents of foreign trips is Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi, who maintained a strict policy of zero foreign travel for the last three financial years.

He said the decision to cancel foreign and domestic benchmarking trips had saved the county close to Ksh400 million annually, funds now redirected to development. 

“Sometimes, they even organised one or two trips abroad for benchmarking. Ultimately, the county would spend about a billion shillings on travel alone. That is why Kiambu was unable to carry out serious development. But that has stopped,” she said. 

Governor Wamatangi instituted a policy that banned county officials from holding events in expensive hotels. Instead, meetings and workshops are now held in a tent erected at the county headquarters, which staff have humorously nicknamed “Vasha”—a cheeky reference to Naivasha, a popular destination for such county retreats. 

“Officers used to spend up to Ksh10 million on per diem and expenses to fly to Mombasa or Naivasha to prepare a Ksh10 million project. Some didn’t even travel but still signed for the per diem,” she revealed. 

For instance, during the 2021/2022 financial year, the county, then under former Governor James Nyoro, spent Ksh367 million on domestic travel, comprising Ksh259 million spent by the County Assembly and Ksh107.9 million by the County Executive. 

The report also highlights other counties with significant spending, including Machakos County, under Governor Wavinya Ndeti, which reported Ksh57 million in foreign travel out of its total Ksh399 million travel bill.

Its officials visited countries including the USA, UK, China, Singapore, Italy, Dubai, Sweden, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia. 

Mombasa County, led by Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, spent Ksh26 million to send officers abroad to countries like the USA, Spain, Japan, South Korea, Ethiopia, and Turkey. 

Governors Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu) and Paul Otwoma (Busia) each spent Ksh24 million on foreign travel, while Tana River, under Governor Dhadho Godhana, incurred Ksh21 million in similar expenditure. 

Other counties with notable foreign travel expenses included Samburu – Ksh19 million; Turkana – Ksh18 million; Murang’a (Governor Irungu Kang’ata) – Ksh17 million; Nyandarua – Ksh13 million; Embu – Ksh12 million; Siaya – Ksh10 million, and Bungoma – Ksh9.4 million. 

The CoB’s report also revealed worrying figures on domestic travel, particularly in counties like Tana River, which spent Ksh479 million—Ksh187.62 million by the County Assembly and Ksh291.97 million by the Executive.