County governments in Kenya have come under scrutiny after it was revealed that they collectively spent over Ksh.17 billion on both domestic and international travel in the financial year ending June 2026. This revelation comes amidst a backdrop of significant financial obligations, with counties owing suppliers a staggering Ksh.172 billion in pending bills. The Controller of Budget, Margaret Nyakang’o, has raised concerns about the necessity of some of these trips, particularly those undertaken outside the country.
The Budget Implementation Review Report highlights that Nairobi County was the highest spender on travel, with expenditures amounting to Ksh.850 million. It was followed closely by Narok County, which spent Ksh.758 million, Nakuru at Ksh.655 million, Samburu at Ksh.614 million, and Tana River at Ksh.579 million. These trips included destinations such as Dubai, Singapore, New York, Dodoma, and London, ostensibly for purposes such as leadership training, benchmarking, and other capacity-building activities. However, Nyakang’o questioned the necessity of some of these trips, suggesting that certain programmes could have been effectively conducted within Kenya, thereby saving on costs.
This travel expenditure is particularly contentious given the financial challenges counties are facing. By the end of June 2026, the total outstanding trade payables for counties stood at Ksh.172 billion. Nairobi County alone accounted for more than half of this amount, with pending bills reaching Ksh.86.90 billion. Other counties with significant pending bills include Kilifi at Ksh.8.15 billion, Kiambu at Ksh.5.80 billion, and Machakos at Ksh.4.49 billion. These figures underscore the financial strain on county governments, which are struggling to meet their financial obligations to suppliers.
In contrast, Mombasa County led in own-source revenue collection, raising Ksh.21.1 billion during the financial year. Nairobi followed with Ksh.15.5 billion, while Kiambu collected Ksh.6 billion, Nakuru Ksh.5.3 billion, and Narok Ksh.4.4 billion. This revenue generation is crucial for counties as they seek to balance their budgets and address the backlog of unpaid bills.
The report also sheds light on the national government's travel expenditure, which amounted to Ksh.25 billion during the same period. This comparison highlights the scale of travel-related spending across different levels of government, raising questions about fiscal priorities and the efficient use of public funds. As counties continue to navigate financial challenges, the scrutiny on travel expenditures is likely to intensify, prompting calls for more prudent financial management.
