MPS’ TRAVEL GOBBED UP SH550M IN 3 MONTHS, SAYS BUDGET OFFICE

The National Assembly in session. The Parliamentary Service Commission spent Sh557.6 million on domestic travel in three months, the Controller of Budget has revealed. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By SAMWEL BORN MAINA

The Parliamentary Service Commission spent Sh557.6 million on domestic travel in three months, the Controller of Budget has revealed.

According to the report obtained by the Nation, the commission also recorded the highest expenditure in printing and advertising at Sh80.7 million, rentals and rates for non-residential buildings at Sh121.2 million and maintenance of other assets at Sh17.3 million.

The expenditure for the three categories represented 56 per cent, 24 per cent and 34 per cent respectively of the Ministry Departments and Agencies’ total specific-category spending.

The report also says the Teachers Service Commission had the highest expenditure on personal emoluments in the first quarter of the financial year.

A total of Sh41.2 billion was spent by TSC on salaries, representing 69.9 per cent of the combined personnel expenditure by MDAs.

The Foreign Affairs ministry had the highest expenditure on foreign travel at Sh280.7 million. The Budget chief defends the huge expenditure, saying trips by diplomatic staff on foreign assignments are in line with the ministry’s mandate of promoting relations and driving Kenya’s foreign policy.

The report says the high expenditure by PSC on domestic travel was to be attributed to mileage claim reimbursements to MPs.

The Presidency reported the highest expenditure on hospitality services at Sh83.6 million and maintenance of vehicles at Sh31.3 million.

“This may be attributed to hosting of state functions and coordination of government business,” adds the report.

HIGH EXPENDITURE

The Health Ministry incurred the highest expenditure on workers’ training at Sh23.8 million.

The highest development expenditure was the transfer to national government entities, which took Sh33.6 billion, accounting for 60.2 per cent of the total MDAs development spending.

It was followed by expenditure on refurbishment of buildings, infrastructure works and civil works at Sh19 billion or 34 per cent of the development budget.

The categories with the least expenditure were maintenance of other assets and motor vehicles at Sh157.1 million and Sh7 million respectively, accounting for 0.3 per cent and 0.01 per cent of the total MDAs’ development expenditure.

“The first quarter of financial year 2014/15 total development expenditure amounted to Sh55.8 billion, representing an absorption rate of 11.3 per cent.

This was a significant improvement to the Sh36 billion spent in a similar period in the last financial year, or an absorption rate of 8.1 per cent,” the report says.

HIGH CAPITAL TRANSFERS

It also reveals that expenditure on contracted technical and professional services accounted for Sh268.6 million.

“The Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology spent Sh211.1 million — the highest under this category — representing 78 per cent of the total MDAs expenditure in this category.

The State department for Infrastructure had the highest capital transfers to its Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies amounting to Sh15.4 billion. This was 46 per cent of total spending in this category,” says the report.

Construction and purchase of non-residential buildings including offices, schools and hospitals amounted to Sh3.4 billion, while building and purchase of residential houses was Sh756.6 million.

The report also revealed that the Ministry of Education, whose role includes development of educational infrastructure, had the highest expenditure for both non-residential and residential buildings at Sh1.9 billion and Sh617.4 million respectively.

The Budget Controller said some ministries and departments failed to adopt the Integrated Financial Management Information System in their transactions.

MDAs yet to adopt the system include the Independent Police Oversight Authority, Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution, National Gender and Equality Commission, Witness Protection Agency, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, National Intelligence Services, TSC and the Defence ministry.

CREDIT SOURCE: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/politics/MPs-travel-gobbled-up-Sh550m-in-3-months/-/1064/2540596/-/4fg3dy/-/index.html