Written By Lisa Murimi
In an effort to curb unnecessary expenditures, President William Ruto’s administration will soon require senior government officials, including Cabinet Secretaries, to obtain online approval for foreign travel. This move is part of a broader series of austerity measures.
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei announced the initiative during a National Development Implementation Committee (NDIC) meeting, revealing that the new system would be operational by August. The platform is designed to streamline the monitoring of officials’ travel, replacing the traditional exchange of letters between government offices.
The new approval process will also apply to Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of state corporations. “My office, in collaboration with ICT, has developed an integrated information system. From August 1, we shall go paperless,” Koskei stated. “When you want to travel abroad, you will log in, upload your application, and the process will proceed until it reaches the President, reducing paperwork.”
Foreign travel expenses have been a significant concern, with billions spent on facilitating officers’ trips. Despite President Ruto’s directives to reduce these expenses, the first nine months of the last financial year saw a rise in foreign travel costs. From July 2023 to March 2024, the national government spent Ksh 5.8 billion on foreign travel. According to the Controller of Budget, total travel expenditures by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) reached Ksh 18.18 billion, marking a 29.2 percent increase compared to the previous financial year.
