President William Ruto’s Cabinet has given the green light to a proposal slated for implementation during the initial Supplementary Appropriations of the FY2023/24 Budget cycle.
In an announcement dated Tuesday, September 3, the Cabinet’s objective is to address a fiscal deficit issue that has led to an 18.8% surge in public debt, reaching a staggering KSh 10.25 trillion.
As part of the Administration’s strategy for fiscal consolidation, the Cabinet has approved a 10% reduction in the recurrent budget of every Ministry and State Department, the statement highlights.
Simultaneously, the government has introduced fresh guidelines pertaining to foreign travel by ministries, state departments, and county governments.
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Felix Koskei, Head of Public Service, has trimmed the size of delegations accompanying the president, governors, Cabinet Secretaries, and other officials. Specific criteria have been set for each category:
- Delegations for the Office of the President, the Deputy President, Prime Cabinet Secretary, and First Lady will now require approval for officials directly involved in the program.
- Cabinet Secretary delegations are limited to three persons
- Principal Secretary delegations should not exceed two individuals.
- County governors may be accompanied by a maximum of two persons, including the governor.
Furthermore, Koskei has directed the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs to reduce the delegation size for each official by 50%. Additionally, the maximum duration for foreign travels by state officers has been capped at seven days.
President Ruto, in his directives issued in July 2023, imposed restrictions on Cabinet members and Principal Secretaries, limiting their annual foreign travel to a maximum of 45 days. This move aims to curb the costs associated with overseas trips.
Non-essential travel has been suspended, and all travel requests by state officers must now be copied to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Approval for state officers’ travel is to be obtained solely through the Office of the President, facilitated by the chief of staff.
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