All foreign travels by government officials have been banned by State House.

The Head of Civil Service Joseph Kinyua, in a letter circulated to all Cabinet Secretaries, said no government official will be allowed to leave the country without clearance by the president.

“This is to notify you that it has been decided, until further advised otherwise, no government official will travel outside the country without clearance by the president,” the letter read in part.

Read Also: Jubilee forces NASA Principal to lose his vehicle

The letter stated that the officials to be affected include Cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries and officers in ministries, chief executive officers of parastatals and their officers and Board of Directors of parastatals.

The letter dated September 13 was copied to the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Kinyua said the directive takes effect immediately, without indicating the reason for the drastic order.

The Treasury has previously made attempts to rein in spending on foreign travel, including through a directive Treasury secretary Henry Rotich issued to all accounting officers on air travel.

In December 2013 a circular issued by Mr Rotich barred most government officers from flying business class while on official trips locally to cut spending on air transport.

Business class travel was reserved for Cabinet and principal secretaries and parastatal heads.

“All air travel by public officers should also be by the national carrier, Kenya Airways, except where the airline does not fly the route or has no partnership with any other airline on that route,” said Mr Rotich in the letter.