MPs allocate additional Sh50 million to DP William Ruto for foreign travel expenses

Deputy President William Ruto is set to receive an additional Sh50 million for travel expenses beginning July 1, 2019.

The boost that will cover foreign travel was awarded by the National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee ahead of Thursday's 2019/20 budget reading.

The allocation comes in the heels of a recent report which had indicated a financial crisis at the DP's office.

File image of DP Ruto leaving an event in one of the vehicles in his convoy Pulse Live Kenya

Though his official handlers denied the report, insiders told Nation reporters that they had not been receiving travel per diems since August 2018.

Some members of the DP's staff had also not received salaries that amounted to Sh200,000 in some cases and up to Sh1.2 million for other workers.

The MPs proposed a total of Sh25 billion additions to the Sh3.02 trillion budget prepared by Treasury CS Henry Rotich.

The Judiciary was also awarded an additional Sh400 million to the allocated Sh2 billion which will cover car allowance.

Deputy Chief Registrar of Judiciary Paul Maina, however, had requested a Sh2.9 billion addition stating that there would still be a shortfall in their recurrent expenditure as well as development budget requirements.

Exaggerations in Kenya's 2019/2020 budget

The Committee has also raised concerns over the plan outlined by CS Rotich to fund the mammoth budget.

According to the Kimani Ichung'wa team, setting a Sh2.2 trillion revenue collection for new KRA boss Githii Mburu is unrealistic given that his predecessor was only able to collect less than half that amount in the previous financial year.

From left - Parliamentary Budget Committee chairman Kimani Ichung’wa, Deputy President William Ruto, Tourism CS Najib Balala and Treasury CS Henry Rotich arrive at KICC for public hearing of the budget making process on January 24, 2018. ece-auto-gen

Other major changes introduced by the MPs include a Sh600 million allocation to the miraa industry, Sh600 million to NYS, Sh1.58 billion to Huduma Namba, Sh1.5 billion reduced from laptop budget as well as Sh800 million reduced from Ajira Fund.